Gunga is lying and suffering in this way here that he will ever forget his Lord, or forsake his Saviour, never." May that Saviour be with him and with us to the end; and may the remembrance of his love ever be fragrant. It will gratify the friends of the mission to know that the first Goomsur convert, Rama Chundra, or as he is more generally called by the people Chundra, was engaged as a colporteur, and is for the present to continue in his native village. The propriety of engaging one or two others was considered, but in the present depressed state of the society's funds, it was deemed desirable not to engage them at present, unless their salaries could be paid from local funds. The brethren reported their varied labours, and the state of the several churches, but as the statistics for the home report are made up to 31st March any account now given would be necessarily incomplete. Still it may be stated, that the additions by baptism at Cuttack have been more than usually large. Already twenty-six have joined themselves to the Lord in the bonds of a perpetual covenant, and there are still several candidates. But in this uncertain world sighs and tears mingle with thanksgiving and songs; and the review of a year always awakens sad and sorrowful as well as grateful and jubilant emotions. At Khundittur, after a long interval, the baptismal waters have been again moved, and two have been added to the church. To some of the brethren and sisters the past year has been a more than usually trying one: their path has been through deep waters, and severe affliction, personal or relative, has been appointed for them. I should add, that Mr. Bailey read to the brethren a very carefully prepared paper on the question of Christian villages and the manner in which they should be governed. Some of the miscellaneous cases considered related to questions of much interest and importance. One | case related to the state of the law as to converts from heathenism obtaining possession of their wives and children, but the case was deferred as it was expected that the High Court in Calcutta would speedily give an opinion on a question submitted by the Judge of Cuttack respecting Bainsee Beharah. As I heard only last evening of the final decision on this case, I may as well give it here; but in order to understand the case it is necessary to state that Bainsee Beharah is a recent convert from idolatry at Cuttack, and he has not been able to obtain his wife, or children, or property, so violent has been the opposition of heathen relatives. The course pursued by the magistrate appeared to us open to grave objections, and we appealed from his decision to the judge. On the 13th of November last the decision of the judge was recorded, but not published. It was that the wife and children should be made over to the convert: the property, whatever it might be, would of course follow. The cause of the delay in publishing the judgment was, that there was a a question of law involved on which the judge was desirous of having the opinion of the High Court. But the High Court has declined giving an opinion, or issuing any general instructions in regard to such cases. The judge has therefore decided to uphold his own decision, and has recorded the following judgment. "I hereby direct that the judgment given by this court on the 13th November last, be forthwith carried into effect, and that a copy of the judgment be forwarded for the information and guidance of the magistrate. All expences in this case are to be paid by the respondent." The respondent is the party opposed to the christian convert. As soon as the original record of the case is received back from Calcutta, the magistrate will be directed to see to the delivery of the wife and children and property to Bainsee Beharah. Thus satisfactorily ends a case which has involved much anxiety, and I Dawk Journey from Calcutta to Cuttack. think our judge-Octavius Toogood, Esq.-has nobly done his duty.* Another case considered, and on which the Cuttack brethren were empowered to take legal advice, was as to the question of divorce under Act V. of 1852, commonly called the "the Indian Marriage Act." It is difficult, of course, to say what a professional opinion on such a question may be, but the the act itself says nothing of divorce.† The propriety of making Ganjam, which is said now to be much more healthy, a sub-station was discussed and referred to the brethren at Berhampore. The desirableness also of the missionary, or missionaries, in the Piplee district, generally residing at Pooree, was considered at some length, but no decision was adopted, except to defer it till next year. Another important case received much serious and anxious attention. Medical certificates were submitted as to the state of Mrs. Taylor's health, and the necessity for a change of climate. The brethren, after a full consideration of the case, expressed their conviction of the necessity for her return home. It will involve a separation from her beloved husband, and such separations are exceedingly painful, but the grace of Christ is sufficient for the exigencies of all who trust in Him. A passage has been secured for Mrs. Taylor, and the two children, that the Lord has spared to them, in the good ship' Malabar 'Captain Pope-advertised to sail 4th Feb., 1863.-The case was after all scarcely settled when this was written. The adversary did not yield without another struggle. Attempts were made to hinder the carrying out of the judge's order, but they did not succeed and on Saturday evening last, about nine o'clock, Bainsee, his wife, and five children, were at our door. It was a most exciting and affecting scene, but I cannot now give details. + Since writing the above I have seen in the papers that a Legislative Member of the Governor General's Council has brought in a bill to empower the High Courts of the several Presidencies to deal with questions of divorce, 195 from Calcutta about the 20th of February, and prayer will, it is believed, be offered that they may be wafted in safety over the mighty waters, and that health may be mercifully restored. May all that was done at our late Conference (which was one of the most important we have ever held) fall out to the furtherance of the gospel. JOHN BUCKLEY. DAWK JOURNEY FROM CALCUTTA TO CUTTACK. BY REV. I. STUBBINS. Khundittur, Feb. 11, 1863. As I am now enjoying for the first time since my return to India, a little comparative quiet, I feel disposed to give, for the special edification of yourself and some of my many friends, a few personal recollections of our journey from Calcutta to Cuttack. I need not, if I could, say how often during that journey I wished for one of your good honest English railroads with all its marvellous accommodations, instead of that miserable, jolting, tedious, expensive, hearse-like-thing, a Palanquin, where you are shut up to dire solitude as though you were being carried alive to your grave by a set of black, yelling, screaming creatures, that a stranger might fancy had just emerged from the most undesirable of all places. I sighed and laughed in turn at their grotesque wildness while my bones fairly ached with the shaking they gave me. At times, however, I did manage to lose myself in reveries of the never-to-be-forgotten past-in revisits to places and scenes most likely never to be visited again except on fancy's wing and recommunion with loved ones and friends who have endeared themselves to my heart of hearts by almost unnumbered acts of kindness and affection. But anon some sudden halt, changing of shoulders, chang-| write their names in, with a column, ing of bearers, hoisting on board a ferry boat, clamouring for Bakshish or something of the kind, recalled the mind to all the realities of one's degraded position. And then there was the blazing torch emitting an odour anything but agreeable, and exhibiting in no very delicate view, its semi-naked holder who is running, smoking, shouting, and grinning against your palkee door. Morning dawns, for we have been travelling all the live-long night and a good piece of the previous afternoon, if not day, and if we have had good bearers all the way, a great improbability, we find ourselves set down in front of a comfortable hotel? Not a bit of it, but in many instances a damp chilly dawk bungalow without a bit or drop of aught to cheer you except you have brought it with you. Such was the case when we were set down on Tuesday morning, at Midnapore, after travelling in one form or another for more than twenty consecutive hours. I immediately ordered the cook, for a cook and one or two other servants are kept at each of these bungalows to wait upon travellers, to get us a little breakfast which was to consist❘ mainly of a cup of tea and some curry and rice. Away he runs and wrings the neck of an unfortunate fowl, which he has knocked over with a broom or anything he happened to lay his hands on first, tears off the skin and in no very scientific manner proceeds to dissect it; and then there are the pounded turmeric, cayenne, mustard seed, coriander seed, sliced onions, garlic, &c., mixed with ghee or oil, and all are stewed together, and in about three hours breakfast is brought on the table after patience and appetite are alike almost exhausted. Grumble? Why of course you grumble, you would be something super-human if you did not, but you might as well grumble at the wind. Help your self you cannot. Wile away your time by looking over the book which lies on the table, for travellers to not only for how long you stay, what you pay, &c., but for remarks and read "Kit, i.e the cook, a decent fellow." "Kit a lazy rascal." "Kit a horrible scoundrel." 'Servants negligent." "Bungalow filthy." "Bed not fit to lie on.' "Pigeons fill the place with fleas," &c., &c. However, despite of all, you bathe, eat, rest, and feel refreshed and thankful that there are even dawk bungalows. As the time for your departure draws nigh you enter your name in the book and pay a fee of one rupee each for the use of the bungalow, settle with Kit for the curry and rice and whatever you have had, make him and the other servants a present for their diligent attendance and attention, and prepare for exit; while the bearers outside are binding up their loins by pulling and folding their long cloths as tightly round them as possible, quarreling about which palkee they should carry, if there be more than one and one is lighter than the other. Their language on such occasions is altogether too impure for transmission to paper, we therefore leave it to die in the air, at least so far as we are con. cerned. Would that it could die there so far as its wretched utterers are concerned! Well, Tuesday night we travel on and on till we are stopped at Dantoon by a native moonsiff or judge, whom I had known in Orissa. He had been up watching a good part of the night, that he might make his salaam and assure me that he had not forgotten me. This was pleasant. Well, on we go till we reach Jellasore, the end of the stage, but two miles short of brother Hallam's house where we want to go. There the bearers set us down in the road and stoutly refused to stir another peg. Promises, threatenings, and even that magic word "bakshish" were of no avail, and we were obliged to wait till fresh bearers could be got. Thankful were we to find ourselves seated at length by the side of our warm-hearted fellow-labourers Mr. Dawk Journey from Calcutta to Cuttack. and Mrs. Hallam and zealous Miss Crawford, who was the first in that mission that returned to America and came back to Orissa. All honor to the dear girl! I might say, Mr. Hallam went from the neighbourhood of Cradley Heath when a lad to America; that he well remembers the Sabbath-school, good old friend Cheatle and many others. The day passed very pleasantly in the society of these valued friends, but parting time came at length, and we parted where we love to part, at the throne of grace. We had provided, as we thought, for a pleasant night's run to Balasore by laying a government dawk, but were sadly mistaken; for at the end of the very first stage we were set down in the middle of the road with the delightful assurance that there was no relay of bearers! What could be done? I showed the post office warrant that dawks had been laid and the hire paid. I begged the bearers who had brought us to take us on the next stage; told them I would give them extra hire and "bakshish beside; but no, they were immoveable as a rock. The night was cold. We therefore had a fire made, kettle boiled and took a cup of tea from the top of our palkees. Meanwhile, I ascertained that there were two sets of bearers sleeping in a house close to and waiting for some sahibs who were travelling from the south. I had them roused up and offered all sorts of rewards if they would take us on, telling them that if they should meet the other palkees they might change with those bearers, &c. After between two and three hours of consideration and talking over pros and cons they agreed, and then with some of the old bearers we started off again. Scarcely had we got half through the stage when the palkees from the opposite direction appeared in sight. Our men shouted, bawled, stormed, but all in vain; the bearers would not stop but rushed by us with more than double their' usual speed On we went as all hope for our bearers was now 197 vain, and in due time reached the end of the stage. Here again there were no bearers. There was, however, a bungalow close by and off we went to that with the assurance that it was unoccupied. While our palkees were being set down a warm-hearted honest looking Irishman, whom we had roused from his slumbers, opened the door! I felt, as may be supposed, taken aback. I say I, for Mrs. Stubbins and Harriet were fast asleep and knew of nothing that was going on. I told him what a pretty fix we were in, when he, by way of making the best of it, roused up his servant and ordered him to get a cup of coffee ready while we deliberated upon what was best to be done. I need not trouble you with what we said and what we did; suffice it to say that nothing could exceed the kindness of Mr. O. Riley, and when he left in the morning, he left behind him what provisions he had and his principal servant to wait upon us, with strict orders to get us whatever we wanted as long as we might have to stay. About nine o'clock one set of bearers came up, and I thought it best to go on with these and make provision at the next stage for my fellow travellers. There I found all right, and so pushed on to Balasore, where Mrs. Stubbins and Harriet arrived some three hours after me. Here we were most kindly welcomed by our dear friends Mr. and Mrs. Miller, also as at Jellasore, of the American Free Baptist Mission. The day, so greatly abridged, was sadly too short for all we had to see and say especially as we had to leave early, the night's dawk being a very long one. That night we had no mishap, but arrived safely and as comfortably as circumstances would permit, at Bariapore, where we were glad to find our old friend the Kitmutgar, who was there when we first went to India and long before. He talked a great deal about Lacey, Sutton, and all the rest of our missionaries. He had provided for us most sumptuously, and was most assiduous in his attentions. every one. He is the best | christians who had come out to welcome us. On we went, the bearers singing and bawling as loudly as they could, passing house after house and bazaar after bazaar, till we were affectionately welcomed by our dear old friends Mr. and Mrs. Buckley and our new friend Miss Guignard. With this welcome to the heart and home of my college companion and oldest friend India, hungry, thirsty, and weary we rest, thankful for the mercies which have attended us during our long absence and many journeyings, and which have now brought us back in health and safety to labour for Him whose we are and whom we hope to serve for ever. as I should have mentioned that as morning dawned I threw open my palkee door intending to get out and have a walk, but to my horror | we passed close by a poor pilgrim who had evidently just died, and the miserable mangy dogs were gnawing and tearing away though they were afraid of losing their prey. One such sight was enough before breakfast, so I threw myself back in my palkee, scarcely daring to look out again, and earnestly prayed that the fearful and murderous delusions of Juggernath might soon come to an end, and the life-giving truths of Jesus be everywhere heard, believed, and loved. Before leaving the bungalow, a lady and gentleman, whom we had previously known, came up, with their three sweet little children looking as happy and healthy as could be desired. They were on their way from Cuttack to Calcutta. Since then we have heard of the death of two of these darling ones, and the dangerous illness of the third. Oh, how frail are our greatest earthly treasures! How important to have treasure in heaven. Reader, is yours there ? The next night all went on well till we reached Tangey, the last stage in our long and tedious journey. I had been congratulating myself that we should reach Cuttack by seven o'clock, but so it was not to be. There were no bearers ready. I roused up the head of police and sent off his men, constables if you like to call them so, in every direction, and paced the road from 3.30 till day-break, hoping every moment to be able to resume our journey, and feeling mortified at such a break down when comparatively within sight of the goal. Instead of seven it was past noon when we entered Cuttack, but it was peculiarly gratifying to meet some of the native "Praise God from whom all blessings flow." INTELLIGENCE. MRS. TAYLOR and her children sailed MISSIONARY SERVICES.-The Rev. H. Wilkinson and the Secretary have been busily engaged during the past three months in attending Missionary meetings. Brethren Allsop, of Whittlesea; J. J. Goadby, of Leicester; R. Kenny, of Burton; E. Stevenson, G. Hester, T. Wilshere, and T. W. Marshall, of Loughborough; and T. Yates, of Wirksworth, have also rendered valuable assistance. The meetings at Leicester, Derby, Loughborough, Coningsby, Wisbech, Long Sutton, and March, and a few other places, were of an unusually lively and encouraging character. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. MR. BUCKLEY presents his sincere thanks for the following books sent for gratuitous distribution in response to his appeal inserted in the Observer for June last: To Messrs. Wilkins and Ellis, for two dozen of Immanuel the Christian's Joy. |