NOTES FROM ROME. 277 scripture, our infant church has acted in the case of this and other candidates; the spiritual life thus manifested, viewed in its probable influence on the future, is to me more encouraging than would have been the baptism of a dozen persons about the quality of whose piety there might be doubt. Our new brother is a solictor. He will have much to contend against at home, and will need our earnest sympathies and prayers. The day of the baptism was an unusually quiet one, and in the evening, when we celebrated the Lord's Supper, we had but few spectators, all Rome being at Ponte St. Angelo, celebrating with magnificent displays of fireworks, the anniversary of the Statute, or the compact entered into by Victor Emanuel and the nation. We have had a flying visit from Mr. Cook and two friends. We are sorry to have seen so little of them. Situated as we are, out of the English centre, we see too few English visitors, at least, of those who show us any real sympathy. The new journal which is to represent the Baptists of Italy, and to be called "Ill Testimone" (the witness), is to see the light on July 1st. DIMINUTION OF PRIESTS. L'Unità Cattolica laments the extraordinary diminution of the priests in Italy during the last decade. From the last census-takings it would seem that whereas ten years ago there were seven priests for every thousand inhabitants, to-day, there are not more than five for every thousand. We only hope the decrease may continue. Priests are not loved here, and they owe their toleration to nothing else but that utter indifference to all religious concerns which their system has produced in the minds of most Italians. This decrease at least is a good sign. We may be pardoned for the parody if we say : "Well fares the land, no more to cheats a prey, We wish the priests nothing but good. We would like to send them all to heaven, of course by a lawful way. May the number of their reverences, for the sake of Italy and the world, become at least "Small by degrees and beautifully less." HOW THE EPISCOPAL METHODISTS DO IT. The Methodist Episcopal Society has had an existence about as long as our own denomination, but now (so we learn from the reports of the Conference just held in Philadelphia) has a membership of 1,600,000! Its contributions to Missions alone during the past year amounted to nearly £150,000 sterling! Its Mission in Italy only began in 1873, and now has 17 churches, with 9 other mission stations, 17 ministers, with others on trial, 10 Bible women, 843 communicants, and 283 catechumens. I may add that it spends much more on each of its stations than we Baptists do. Why should there be such a disparity between their numbers and power and ours? They may not have been handicapped as we have been in the race, and admission to their churches is more easy than into ours, but surely this is not the only explanation. May not one of the reasons be that the Methodist Episcopal Society has gone into missionary work with all its heart, seeing in that the chief business of the church? It has Missions in Africa, South America, China, India, Japan, Mexico, Germany, Sweden, &c., &c. It employes 2,000 missionaries! It has spirited leaders who not only have warm sympathies but (what are equally necessary) large ideas. At Philadelphia the other day a minister offered to give £4,000 if the meeting would contribute £6,000. No sooner said than done. The collection realized £6,200! And all this while we are almost fainting before the need of £500! We have only played at missions, while the Methodist Episcopal Society has gone into missionary operations with all its heart, and realized the truth of the words in 2 Cor. ix. 6-He that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." Berhampore, Ganjam, India, April 30th, 1884. WE have been passing through a time of great anxiety. Mr. Stewart, of Aska, came in to preach for us on Sunday, April 13th, and Captain and Mrs. Taylor came in on the previous Friday to meet him, and we were indulging the hope of having very pleasant times; but almost immediately after his arrival Capt. Taylor was taken so seriously ill that for a time even his life was despaired of. Happily, medical aid was at hand, and on the 14th (the following Monday), he and Mrs. Taylor moved over to my house, where they have remained. The captain is well known and much respected in the district, and callers have been frequent and every kindness shown; and by God's great goodness our dear friend is now so far recovered as to be able to resume his work, and leaves this evening for Gopalpore. Special thanks were offered at his request at our Oriya service on Sunday afternoon; and at our other meetings, both Oriya and English, he has been constantly remembered. In the meantime several other matters of considerable interest have transpired. A few weeks ago I received an order for a consignment of books for Jeypore. This is a large Oriya territory lying several days' journey to the south of us. The American Baptist missionaries at Bimlipatam and Bobili are taking an interest in the work there, and employ a colporteur to labour in the district. They would be glad if we could send a couple of native preachers and their families to reside there; but there is much jungle in the district, and the fever is of such a virulent type, that, excepting those born in the neighbourhood, few would feel it safe to venture. I have therefore recommended that two young men be selected by them from the native Christians there, and sent to Cuttack to study for a time in the Mission College. They would in this way obtain a training for the work, and also form connections with our Oriya native Christians, which would prove of great value. As an outlying district where the Oriya language is spoken, we are specially interested in its welfare. We cannot, however, confine our labours, even in these parts, entirely to the Oriyas. The Telugu element is so large and influential, that it has to be distinctly taken into account. The clerks in the Government offices are almost all Telugus, and the most successful and energetic of the native traders are also Telugu; and while in the whole district two-thirds of the population are Oriyas, the remaining third are almost exclusively Telugu. Many of our Christian people speak both Oriya and Telugu, and the most intelligent of them, English too; and we find it essential to our efficiency to be well supplied with books in each of the three languages-the Oriya being supplied from Cuttack, the Telugu and English from Madras. And still further progress is being made in the same direction by the Madras Auxiliary Bible Society, who have recently offered to support a colporteur in the district, who is to be under my own supervision; and I have been fortunate in being able to recommend one of our own young men, who, I believe, is very suitable for the post. He sustains a good Christian character, is of Telugu parentage, and speaks and writes Telugu; he has been trained as an Oriya in our own Oriya Orphanage, and has also a little knowledge of English. The importance of this step is illustrated by still another event which has occurred within the last few days-a number of Telugu Christians from the Godavery District, who are expecting to be employed for a time in this neighbourhood, having expressed a desire to be associated with us. The Bible women are now getting fairly into work. Ootama, the daughter of our old friend Bhubani Mahanty, has been hindered by sickness in her family, but as her daughter is now better, and she has good qualifications for the work, I trust that she will be able to attend regularly to her duties, and with Helen her associate become increasingly effective. I was much interested the other day by a native gentleman who described the visits, many years ago, of Mrs. Wilkinson and Mrs. Buckley to his father's house. He also referred to another lady, " tall and in a dark dress," whom we made out to be Mrs. Grant. As this gentleman is himself "almost a Christian," we cannot say to what an extent he was influenced by these visits. Our English service on the Sunday evening continues, and we have now added a Wednesday evening prayer meeting. Several friends have promised to take part. THOMAS BAILEY. LETTERS FROM REV. T. BAILEY. Under date of May 13th, Mr. Bailey writes: 279 The Young Men's Society connected with the church at Berhampore held their anniversary meeting last night. The report showed that the Society continues fairly prosperous, the finances are good, and the number of members has risen to thirty-one. Three of the young men gave addresses, and the interest of the meeting was well maintained. The chapel was nearly full, and several native Hindoo gentlemen were present, as well as the Rev. W. B. Ottley, M.A., and two other of our European friends. Among the native Hindoo gentleman was a young Brahmin pundit-recently returned from Benares, and evidently wellread in Sanscrit literature. He has visited me several times, and on one occasion I presented him with a copy of the Psalms in Sanscrit; and to my very great interest he came again a few days afterwards with the book in his hand, and a beautifully written paper on Psalm cxix. 19-"I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me." The verse was his own selection, and the composition showed that he had correctly understood the meaning of the first member of the sentence, while in the remainder he was not so clear. He promises to attend our service on the Sunday, and I fervently pray that he may be safely guided to Him to whom "give all the prophets witness. Another of the Hindoo gentlemen present is well-known to all our friends, and having heard that we were preparing a new Oriya Hymn Book, has composed a hymn on "the love of Jesus," correct in sentiment, and expressed in really terse and beautiful language, which he has forwarded to me with a note requesting that it may be included in the new selection. In this latter case another incident interested me greatly. The young pundit above referred to acted as messenger in bringing the hymn to me, with its appended note; the latter I read myself, but the hymn I requested him to read to me, and was almost startled when instead of reading it, he began in a clear and ringing voice to sing it, and continued to sing it to the end. The tune was one of the old ballad tunes of the country, and was very spirited and appropriate, and appeared to be sung with feeling too. I think we are surely justified in cherishing the hope respecting both of these friends, that they are not far from the kingdom of God.' On Sunday I was at Padri Polli. The heat last year at this time of the year was so great, that my object in visiting the place was largely defeated; but this year it is less oppressive, and a sharp thunderstorm last week still further cleared the air, so that I gladly availed myself of the opportunity of going; and it was well I did so. I found on arrival that in accordance with my express and oft-repeated desire, a clearance had been made of all the little garden hedgerows in front of the houses in the main street. These had never been kept tidy, and had harboured rubbish, if not disease. The street now takes a fine open sweep through the entire length of the village. The trees which had grown up have been retained both for ornament and shade, and others are to be planted; the chapel and bungalow have been nicely repaired, and the new school-room is nearly finished, so that the whole village has greatly improved in appearance, and I trust the fever will also be less frequent, and in a milder form. At the church meeting one of the members was restored to the fellowship of the church; but unfortunately a violent quarrel had occurred in the village, in which three of the members were so deeply implicated that there was a general demand for their exclusion. A resolution was passed instructing the residentdeacon to collect subscriptions to be devoted to the payment in part of the salary of the native minister, who labours amongst them. Nearly all the members are very poor, and the result for the present, will necessarily be small, but so far as I observed, the vote was quite unanimous, and we all feel that it is a move in the right direction, and will probably benefit the people in several different ways. One of my difficulties in arranging to go, had been in providing for the English service held here in the evening, as after the very serious illness of Captain Taylor, I could not ask him to come in; but the duty was very kindly undertaken by Dr. Marsden, who has recently joined his appointment here as Regimental Surgeon. He is a son of the Rev. E. Marsden, the Baptist Missionary at Bungalore, and both he and Mrs. Marsden have already proved themselves kind and valuable helpers. THOMAS BAILEY. Mission Services. MISSION SERVICES have been held, since the last announcement, at Wolvey, Bourne, and Morton, which were attended by the Rev. J. G. Pike; and at Smalley, Kilbourne, Spalding, and Duffield, where the Secretary was the deputation. In all these places the contributions were in advance of last year. We trust that our friends will be maturing their plans for another year, with the full determination that they will, at least, do their share towards raising the £500 required to meet present expenditure, and another £500 towards strengthening and extending operations in Orissa and Italy. With 1. A higher scale of contributions for the richer, and 2. A greater number of adult collectors (say one to every twentyfive members) for the poorer members of our churches, both amounts could easily be raised. Contributions Received on account of the General Baptist Missionary Society from Subscriptions and Donations in aid of the General Baptist Missionary Society will be thankfully received by W. B. BEMBRIDGE, Esq., Ripley, Derby, Treasurer; and by the Rev. W. HILL, Secr tary, Mission House, 60, Wilson Street, Derby, from whom also Missionary Boxes, Collect. ing Books and Cards, may be obtained. |