We learn that at Serampore a fire had broken out in the residence of the students, and occasioned serious damage. At Agra, a similar occurrence had taken place, when an entire square was burned down, and nearly the whole property of the two missionaries destroyed. We are glad to learn that at Agra, since the comparative restoration of order, the missionaries have recommenced preaching in the bazaars and market-place. At first they refrained from going into the larger thoroughfares, in order to feel their way and ascertain the temper of the people, But the readiness to hear the gospel, and the generally courteous demeanour exhibited by their auditors, encouraged the missionaries to act more freely, and they now report that the readiness of the people to assemble and listen to the gospel is much greater than it used to be. Mussulmans form the minority of the congregations. Their conduct before the mutiny was bold, defiant, and contemptuous. Now they appear discouraged and disheartened by its utter failure. Nevertheles the Hindus still reiterate their old dogmas. Some Brahmins are, however, sorely perplexed by the atrocities of the Sepoys, who were most of them Brahmins, and know not how to affirm as formerly the perfect blessedness of all Brahmins after death.

In the principal market of Agra the missionaries often encounter Sikhs and Punjaub Mussulmen. A few among them have appeared particularly thoughtful and desirous to understand the gospel.

From other sources we learn that missionary work over nearly the whole of India is being resumed with an increased ardour and activity. When the societies shall have completed their arrangements for sending out the new mis. sionaries, the people will have the gospel sown amongst them as no heathen people have yet had it. It is a magnificent testimony to the Christian feeling of England that this new enterprize has been conceived, and is being carried forward with such almost unbounded liberality. The Church Missionary Society has received 30,000l. for a special Indian Fund, intending to use it in the first instance in the evangelization of the kingdom of Oude. The London Missionary Society has received about 11,000.; the Wesleyans have made arrangements for ten new missionaries; and the Baptists are now considering the best mode of raising in the churches an increased interest in the maintenance and enlargement of missionary labour in India—intending to make a special effort for a 5,000l. fund.

The 'Herald' records the arrival in Australia of the Rev. Isaac New, of Birmingham, a minister much respected, and holding a high position as a preacher in the Baptist denomination. We also know of the arrival out of Mr. Binney, in good health, though after a rather unfavourable voyage. Mr. Poore, who went with Mr. Binney, has already returned to this country for more ministers, after only three weeks' sojourn in Australia. We quote part of an interesting diary of Mr. Taylor, of the Baptist denomination, which affords some glimpses of an Australian minister's life :

On Tuesday morning, October 20, I left Melbourne on a hurried visit to Forest Creek gold diggings, and after a most fatiguing journey, reached the chapel there just in time for a meeting, a most joyous and crowded meeting, at which I was most heartily welcomed. On the following day I rambled among diggers and crushing machines, and had much interesting conversation with friends from many

parts of England; in the evening preached to a large congregation in the new chapel. The Forest Creek and adjacent diggings cover an immense part of the Mount Alexander district, having the flourishing town of Castlemaine in the centre. I deeply regretted that my time was so limited. At least a month would be needful to get acquainted with the district. On the 22nd I rode ten miles through the bush on a cart to the magnificent country known as the Valley of the Loddon, and preached in the evening to about fifty people in a small canvass chapel. Oh that your good ministers of Bloomsbury Chapel and the Diorama had seen it! What a contrast! However, there were happy faces there; only four females; all the rest of the company strong men, who had trudged in the dark through deep mud to their little Bethel. On the 23rd I was on horseback, riding through the bush before four o'clock a.m., on my way to Castlemaine, which I left by coach at six o'clock, and reached home in the evening, covered with mud, and drenched with rain and hail, wearied, it is true, but thanking God for affording me the opportunity of doing brethren here some little service. Bendigo I have not yet been able to visit. At the urgent request of friends there, I have sent Mr. Henderson, formerly town missionary in Sunderland, to labour for three months at the Bendigo gold fields, the friends engaging to give him 31. per week. At least 30,000 people are at Ararat, and well-nigh entirely destitute of religious instruction. Surely, oh surely, wealthy friends in England will do something towards sending out evangelists! I am afraid my importunity will get tiresome, but my heart is sad at the sight of the neglected state of thousands here. Gladly would I devote every energy of soul and body, and risk health and life itself, in the work of preaching the gospel to the thousands in the gold fields, but I am chained here. Much is doing in Melbourne, and our Sabbath and week-evening congregations are truly encouraging. Soon one large chapel will be erected in Melbourne, by the Collins-street church, and a second will follow immediately for the Albertstreet church, if they get a good pastor. It is very cheering, this. Send good men, faithful men, to work for Melbourne and Sydney; men who will lay hold of the affections of the young, and God will give them a rich reward. I mentioned in my last letter that we had some expectation of getting one of the theatres for Sabbath-evening services. In this, however, we have been disappointed. The deacons at Collins-street would have willingly paid a very large rent, but the lessee positively refused, so for the present we must do the best we can, as there is no larger building in the city. I hope by next mail to send you a sketch of the new chapel. Please present my most respectful regards to the committee. Two of Mr. Brock's members have just arrived in Melbourne, and made themselves known to me immediately, and on the very day of their arrival were at an evening service with me. At Forest Creek I met four members of Mr. Noel's church; and at Newstead, in the Valley of the Loddon, with other two. In fact, everywhere I meet with members of English churches, all kind and glad to see me.'

Mr. Taylor subsequently makes an urgent appeal to the Baptist denomination for more ministers. Something,' he says, 'on a worthy scale must be done for Australia; all other denominations have been, and are active; we have lagged behind.' 'Unless,' he adds, ‘something is done soon, to give the denomination a start, it will be quite lost.' We publish this, not in the hope that the appeal will meet with a response, in the increased emigration of more Christian

ministers, whether Baptists or otherwise. There is a sentence, however, in the report of the Church Missionary Society of this year, which it will be well to quote in connexion with the enlarged efforts that are now being made in behalf of missions. It is, 'one strong mission is better than several weak ones. Is there no danger of multiplying weak causes just now ?

The Parliamentary Reform Committee.

WE are glad to be able to make room in these pages for the following circular, having reference to the action of the Guildhall Committee. There is, we believe, an impression that the committee, because it has been little heard of, has been doing nothing since it issued its manifesto. Any of our readers who may have received that impression will now be disabused of their error, and, we hope, be induced to lend their assistance towards realizing the appeal of the committee for such support as it will require :—

'PARLIAMENTARY REFORM COMMITTEE, '15, King Street, Cheapside, E.C. '21st June, 1858. 'SIR,-During the present session of Parliament we have been diligently occupied in rendering support to those motions on the subject of Parliamentary Reform which are in harmony with our published programme. The bill for Abolition of the Property Qualification has passed through both Houses; and that for the Extension of the County Franchise has been read a second time in the Commons by a large majority. The subject of Forty Shilling Freeholds for Scotland has been introduced, and obtained a powerful minority in its favour; and encouraging divisions have taken place on the Ballot and Triennial Parliaments. These results stimulate us to persevere in the earnest, unostentatious, and vigorous efforts we are making to render the House of Commous truly representative of the people.

'An economical expenditure of about 5007. has enabled us to prepare, and widely to publish, our programme, and to secure this commencement of its successful advocacy in Parliament. We shall nced about the same amount, in addition, to complete without difficulty our first financial year; and we venture, without hesitation, to appeal to our numerous friends to furnish at once the funds which are necessary to continue an organization which has proved, during the short space of six months, so practically useful in advancing the progress of Parliamentary Reform. We do not wish, at present, to resort to any collecting or travelling agency, but take the liberty of enclosing a list of subscriptions, and of soliciting the favour of your name, in addition, for any sum you may be willing to give. 'We are, Sir, yours faithfully,

'S. MORLEY, Treasurer.
'E. S. PRYCE, Secretary.'

TO CORRESPONDENTS,

A Reader.'-Dr. Price's 'History of Nonconformity' and the Rev. Joseph Fletcher's History of Independency,' both very able works, and well covering their ground. Mr. Fletcher's is the cheapest book.

THE MONTHLY

CHRISTIAN SPECTATOR.

AUGUST, 1858.

Robertson's Sermons.

SYDNEY SMITH's recipe for a sleepless night was to take a volume of sermons and read himself into obliviousness. No doubt that the opinion of sermons implied in this sarcasm is too true, and that the majority of them are irresistibly dull and soporific. Blair's Sermons, for instance, cannot be said to be exciting even by the most lively temperament; and we suspect that it was this type of sermons that the aforesaid devout clergyman was chiefly conversant with. The great bulk of more modern sermons are insupportably heavy; so much so, that while sermons are printed by the thousand they are read only by the hundred, and then only by very simple people and elderly ladies, who study the prophecies under Dr. Cumming. But perhaps the most numerous class who read sermons are clergymen and Dissenting ministers who read to steal-and to steal in a shamefully wholesale manner. But more of this anon.

But if the charge of heaviness against the bulk of modern sermons be true, there is a charge, equally true, against some of our very modern sermons of being insupportably lively. Reader, didst thou ever see a dull fellow try to be witty? and wert thou obliged to countenance the delusion, and laugh with the rest, as if the poor dullard had really said a bright thing? We have heard Scotch professors, very safe hands at explaining the categories, and very apt at all the modes of the syllogism, perpetrating some awful things in the name of wit and poetry in the endeavour, we suppose, to make their lectures very lively and attractive to youthful minds. And they used to get well cheered for it! And so now, as preachers have been long abused for long faces, long sermons, and long sentences, many of them have determined to get rid of the reputation, and have set about the

reformation with a vengeance. The poor working classes! they have been made the victims of this experiment. Just as frogs were used for electrical experiments, so the lively school of preachers think that no great harm can be done if they try their hand first of all upon the poor man. One gentleman we remember apologizes for the buffoonery of his lectures on the Sunday afternoons by saying, that he never admits it into the regular performances in the morning or evening. But is it not a great mistake to suppose that this style of thing would be acceptable only to the working classes? If some necessary alterations were made in the style, the middle and upper classes would like lecturing too. Of course, dirt pies' would not do for them; but a melodramatic handling of the vices of the rich would be immensely popular. Did they not go to see Tom Thumb in as great crowds as the vulgar? And so set them up a preacher or lecturer, compounded in equal proportions of Brimstone and Treacle,' and Belgravia would rush to hear him, despite the attractions of St. Barnabas and the mysterious charms of Puseyism.

·

The success of such an attempt would raise the whole question as to the purpose of the pulpit and the nature of preaching. Is it to beguile an idle hour, to insinuate instruction through the medium of amusement, and by choosing such topics as may hit the fancy or taste of the hearer, to draw crowded thousands together, and regale them with poor imitations of Dickens, or some other popular novelist? Far be it from us to interdict any man from entering the pulpit and displaying the real power there is in him in his own way; if he has imagination, let him draw upon it to the utmost, so long as it serves the purpose of illustration to his argument or exposition; if he has humour, let him be unsparing of it in lashing all that is ridiculous in vice and folly; and if he has passion, let it kindle and burn in earnest love for the beautiful and holy in religion, and in indignation against the wickednesses of the world. But in the lecturing and preaching we have in our eye the real is sacrificed to the artificial, earnestness has become a canting nuisance, and real power and success are given up to the ambition of being simply popular-and scarcely anything besides.

Our earnest desire is to see the pulpit filled with men,—men of incorruptible aims, of high intelligence, and of inspired zeal; who shall rescue it from the boyish taste and shallowness with which it is threatened by some amongst us just now. As a help in this direction, we trust that the sermons of Mr. Robertson, of Brighton, which we beg to introduce to our readers, will exert a powerful influence. We know full well that they have too high a tone of religious thought and feeling ever to be extensively popular amongst the great mass of the religious world; but, nevertheless, the genius that is in them, the pure and lofty sympathies with which they abound, the high intellectual and spiritual qualities they reveal, will make them very dear to the better class of young men amongst our preachers. It would be a great blessing to every young man leaving college if he could put these three volumes