closed the meeting with prayer. Brother Shaw, of Over, gave out the hymns. SOHO.-The Lord has not forsaken Soho, Oxford street, though most that joined under the late pastor have gone, and the cause got down very low indeed; but, through mercy, we are reviving and gradually increasing. Our pastor, Mr. J. Wilkins, had the pleasure to receive into the church five on the first Lord's-day in this month (March), having administered the ordinance of believers' baptism before many witnesses, on the last Sunday in February. Our prayer meetings and week evening service are getting well attended. Our pastor has also formed a good Bible class of about forty members, which he conducts on Monday evenings. Altogether, things begin to wear a cheerful appearance at Soho. We have cause to be grateful, and for one I can say, I am thankful for his mercies.-S. M. BRADFORD.-We do not understand the telegrams from the two Churches, nor are we prepared to say how many ministers will go from London into the North. The new Baptist conference which is on the carpet, aims at the establishment of a ministry more refined, more respectable, more intellectual, and more suited to the times. But, it is a startling fact, that there is not a college, nor an academy, nor an organization in existence where the pure truth of the Gospel-in all its principles, experiences and practices-is not, either directly or indirectly perverted. What has never been, may still be brought to pass; therefore, we add no more, and advise our critical reviewer to be patiently silent. CAMBRIDGE HEATH. In a neat little meeting house, near Peel Grove, Mr. Christmas continues to preach the Gospel truthfully. His anniversary was holden last month in Mr. Gordelier's chapel, at Mile End. Mr. Wells preached the sermon. Mr. Felton presided over the evening meeting, and delivered a kind and Christian address. He was followed by the brethren John Webster, Henry Stanley, C. W. Banks, Joseph Flory, and George Smith; but the most decisive address of the evening was from Mr. Christmas himself. We thought him worthy of a sphere more extensive than the one he occupies at present. believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, were baptized at the Baptist chapel, Woodford, Northamptonshire, in the presence of a crowd of spectators. The labours of the pastor, Mr. T. J. Bristow, are being owned and blessed by the great Head of the church, sixteen having put on a profession of Christ since he commenced labouring in this part of the Lord's vineyard. Brethren, pray for us. OLD FORD.-Bethel chapel, in the Old Ford road, now the scene of Mr. Alsop's labours, continues in prosperity. The first anniversary of his pastorate there, is holden this month; and it will then be found that a considerable increase has been given him. We have not yet noticed the criticism made upon his new work, The Church between the Bridges; but, believing him to be a thoroughly honest and faithful servant of Christ, we shall, in due time, speak our mind more fully. HOMERTON.-Our North Eastern correspondent says, Mr. W. Palmer has been again very unwell; but sufficiently recovered to preach occasionally. The cause at Homerton Row is said to suffer much from the illness of the pastor; but hopes are entertained that the warmer weather may bring health to the minister and prosperity to the place. THE LATE MR. BENJAMIN MASON, OF KNOWL-HILL.-We have received the following note at the last moment. Of our departed friend we can say nothing this month; but hope to in our next :-Chapel cottage, March 23rd, 1867. Dear Sir,-It was my poor dear Grandfather's wish I should let you know when he was released from his sufferings, which was last night at a quarter to twelve. They have been very very great all this week, but he was enabled to bear it all with great patience and resignation. He has been longing these many days to depart, and be with Christ, which is far better. The last few days he has been constantly praying for patience, and longing for the happy hour to come. Yours truly MARY ANN WATTS, Chapel cottage, Knowl hill, near Twyford, Berks.-[We are thankful we were favoured to see this dear old saint ere he left his earthly lodging.] Died, at Upper Park Street, Islington, February 13th, 1867, Frances, the beloved wife of Mr. J. J. Waite, highly esteemed and deeply lamented, in her 39th year. BAPTIZINGS. NAME AND SITUATION OF CHAPEL. Woodford, Northamptonshire The Church in Madagascar Passing through its Baptism of Fire. WE have read with peculiar interest some extracts from a work recently published by John Murray; written by that devoted Missionary, William Ellis, and reviewed in a recent number of the English Independent. We are quite free to confess that we look very far beyond the pale of our own denomination now to find the practical, the self-denying, the earnest, and the good Samaritan race of real Christians. Honest and hearty Christians are to be found in our Churches; but the days of persecution have so long since passed away, and the days when every man may build his own chapel, occupy his own pulpit, preach his own creed, and carry out his own convictions, whether they are good or bad, have been so long with us, that it is not easy to discern who are indeed on the Lord's side. There are plenty who are on their own side: nearly all men seek their own things, not the things which are Jesus Christ's; hence it comes to pass that between a hard, a cruel, a dreadfully ignorant and narrow-minded bigotry on the one hand; and a sensational popularity, a wild-fire enthusiasm on the other-the humble, the heart-broken, the penitent, the real-seeking soul, cannot tell WHERE THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST is to be found; nor wHAT IT REALLY IS. These days of laxity and of Christian bitterness-these times of strife, division, and shameful pride, will certainly come to an end. We shall not gently glide on in this mixed and suicidal state of things into one of Millennial glory. Nay, nay-we shall not. A great falling away from THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, and from the faith of the Gospel, has largely commenced. We believe every man is more or less on the slidingscale of declension, either in spirit or in truth, or in both together. Where will they stop? When will the crisis come? Where will it find us? If it be a day of severe trial to the living Church of God, shall we be able to stand out as faithful Witnesses for Christ? Brethren, forgive these earnest interrogations. See ye not how our censorious reviewers and our so-called Ministers of Truth have clothed themselves with pride, and filled their hearts with hatred against each other? Let us Will God wink at these things for ever? We believe not. consider our ways, and cry unto our Father to send us the power of His HOLY SPIRIT that we may turn unto Him in wrestling and prevailing prayers; and may our meditations upon the following facts be sanctified to our soul's eternal good. There may appear to some a generality in the following sentences; but the power of Divine Grace, we think, shines most gloriously in the heroic sufferings of the martyred saints. British Christians! as ye read, remember how great your privileges have been. The reviewer referred to says: "Missionary enterprise presents no field more interesting to the K British Christian than Madagascar. The history of Christianity in that island demands, and has received, very careful attention from all those to whom the Kingdom of Christ is a matter of earnest prayer and watchful solicitude. The early success of the Gospel, the simple-heartedness of the first disciples, and the apparent promise of a rich harvest of missionary toil, are still pleasantly recalled, as the cheering announcements of the labours of the London Missionary Society, under the auspices of the first Radama. Then came the tidings of the death of that liberal monarch, the accession of the Jezebel queen, followed by the expulsion of all foreigners, and at last the sufferings of the Christians, with the triumph of the martyr-death to which many were condemned. Madagascar was a word very dear to the heart of the Christians of this country; and our readers will remember with what relief and gratitude the news was received of the death of Ranavalo and the accession of the : young prince her son. His sympathy with the Christians was well known his active assistance and interposition on their behalf gave high hopes of some relief to be afforded them if he ever should come to the throne. The hope was not disappointed: persecution ceased, freedom of worship was declared, and Radama II. requested that Mr. Ellis would proceed to Madagascar to re-establish missionary labours in that island. The Society furthered the request. The noble old apostle, full of honours and labours though his life had been, was not unwilling once more to proceed to his post. Towards the close of 1861 he left England, and reached Tamatave on the 22nd of May in the next year. The narrative of the events of his residence in Madagascar for three years is given in the volume now lying before us. Mr. Ellis makes no pretensions to fine or even eloquent writing. His style is simple and unaffected, suitable to the narrative. There is true eloquence in those portions of the work where the martyrdom of the Christians is described, especially that relating the death of the fourteen at the rock of execution in 1849. We cannot refrain from introducing the passage here referred to: "Few, if any, of the strange and deeply moving spectacles which Antananarivo has exhibited could be likely to produce a more profound impression upon all classes than those which that day presented. Fourteen men and women of mature intellect, of different rank, and varying in age from twenty years to sixty, including brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, parents and children, had been seized and brought from different parts of the country, had been condemned, and were now led, one by one, to the narrow edge of this rock of death or life-as they should prove true or false. As they stood on the perilous height, they were promised life if they would, by an oath, acknowledge the false gods of Madagascar; but to refuse was to be hurled over the fearful verge, and be dashed on the rocks below. To this dread proposal no tongue faltered in its answer. It was not that life was not sweet; that the world was not a grand and beautiful world; that the grain waving in their fields, and the cattle grazing on their plains, were not treasures to be prized. It was not that the home affections were unknown in their dwellings, for they belonged not to the impoverished or the low animalized portions of the community, but to the intelligent; and most of them to the class who are well to do in the world. The Bible taught them that 'The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof,' and had inculcated peace and love within their dwellings. It was to yield up all that was dear in the world rather than deny Christ. "Silently, the sacred procession approached, one after another, the last |