true to the principles of the religion which he professed. His name was first on the churchroll, and he was a senior deacon for many years. He was always ready for every good work, and his name will be fragrant with pleasant memories for many years. SAW, THOMAS.-A useful and very much respected deacon of the General Baptist Church, Ford, near Aylesbury, Bucks., entered the eternal rest after a brief illness, on Jan. 5th. A man of work rather than words, of consistent Christian character, and of persevering unassuming usefulness in the cause of Christ. SMITH, REV. FRANCIS, was born at Malta, January 4th, 1805. In 1815 he removed with his parents to Glasgow, He joined the Primitive Methodists, and became one of their ministers. At the age of thirty he changed his views on baptism and was led, chiefly through the friendship of Jabez Burns, to become a General Baptist. He became pastor of Beeston for seven years; then went to Sevenoaks, where he remained nine years; and in 1853, at the instance of Dr. Burns, settled at Downton, Wilts. At first the church rallied from its low condition, but of late years it has suffered much through the increasing weakness of Mr. Smith. He was seized with his third attack of paralysis at the beginning of February, and soon afterwards departed in peace. He was interred on February 23rd, in the old burial ground belonging to his chapel, by the Rev. J. T. Collier (of the 2nd Baptist Church in Downton), who had previously buried in the same ground, his wife and three of his sons. He leaves one son, who is abroad, and his only daughter, who has been for several years his companion and faithful nurse. J. T. C. MRS. WILEMAN. On Saturday morning, March 29th, fell asleep in Jesus, Ann Wileman, widow of Henry Wileman, formerly of Praed Street, Paddington, and afterwards of Longton, in the Staffordshire Potteries. Mrs. Wileman's maiden name was Ann Ludford. She was born at Hinckley on June 8th, 1798, and received what was considered in those days a good education. According to traditions which we can well believe, she was intelligent, tall in figure, and remarkably attractive, About the age of twenty-one she married, and shortly afterwards removed with her husband to London, where, as the result of his wonderful energy and genius for trade, a flourishing business was soon established. These circumstances led to the removal of Mrs. Wileman's parents to London. Now Mrs. Ludford was an earnest Christian woman, and a thorough believer in the principles of the General Baptists. Presently therefore she opened a room for preaching close by her home in Praed Street, but it was small and inconvenient, and her son-in-law becoming interested in her work, by his help a more commodious place was obtained in North Wharf Road. Friends from Commercial Road chiefly supplied the pulpit. But whilst Mr. and Mrs. Wileman sympathised with the Christian work of their mother, and assisted pecuniarily, they were not themselves as yet decided followers of the Saviour. The death of their eldest child under peculiarly painful circumstances was the means of reviving in the minds of both husband and wife the spiritual impressions of youth, and of leading both to consecrate themselves wholly to the Lord. In the year 1830 they offered themselves for fellowship with the church in Commercial Road, the pastor of which at that time was the Rev. Joseph Wallis; and on the first Sunday in April they were baptized with seven others, one of the latter being Mrs. Harmer, a sister of Mrs. Wileman's, and another, a member of the Ludford family. From the records of the Commercial Road church it appears that on December 11th, 1831, a letter was received from the friends at Paddington requesting to be formed into a distinct church. This letter was signed by thirteen persons and among the names were those of Henry and Ann Wileman. The request was cordially agreed to; and this was the beginning of the church soon afterwards located in New Church Street, whence, after a time, sprang the cause at the Tabernacle, Praed Street, and as further issue the churches at Westbourne Park and Ealing. The next twenty years were a busy time in the life of Mrs. Wileman. As the mother of a large family her activities naturally centred in her home. Still, she sympathised warmly with the work of her husband as deacon, treasurer, and pastor's helper, first at Church Street, and then at Praed Street; and their house became the hospitable resort both of Missionaries passing through London on their way to and from India, aud of ministers of the Connexion generally, on their visits to the metropolis. In the year 1853 Mr. Wileman removed into the Staffordshire Potteries, where, finding in the town of Longton a population of more than 20,000 and no Baptist chapel, he engaged the Town Hall for preaching. Many of our ministers remember the visits paid in those days to Longton Hall when they went as supplies for the pulpit on Sundays. Some of them were at that time students, and Mrs. Wileman suffering from the infirmity of deafness, they recollect the pleasure it gave both to their hospitable hostess and themselves when, in their preaching, they had succeeded in making her hear. Time passed; and the strong man who had been her daily companion and tender and faithful helper for nearly fortyfive years was laid low. She felt the blow severely and for a time her health was seriously affected. But the consolations of the gospel were a support and the loving attentions of her children soothed her. For a few years after the death of her husband she continued to reside at Lightwood, near Longton, but afterwards removed to Ashby-de-la-Zouch, the residence of one of her daughters. There she enjoyed on the whole a serene and peaceful old age. It was a delight to her on sunny days to wander in the Bath-grounds, or to sit on her accustomed seat there and muse. Her deafness made communication with her rather difficult, except to members of her own family; but, endowed as she was with a quick intelligence and retentive memory, to the last she maintained a lively interest in the affairs of the church and the world, and spent much time in reading both the periodicals of the day and the best new books within her reach. Death came to her at length after a comparatively brief illness. Though she knew in whom she had believed and felt that she had long since committed her all to that Blessed One, often previously she had expressed a fear of the act of dying. But when the time came she was mercifully preserved from knowing that the change was near; and as a little child on the bosom of its mother, so she calmly fell asleep. Her mortal remains were interred at Dresden, near Longton, in the same vault with those of her much-loved husband. Two sons and six daughters, with the partners of five of them, united in paying the last tribute of affection to one, who they felt, notwithstanding the lowly view she habitually took of herself as very sinful and unworthy, had been a faithful wife, a good mother, and a sincere and true-hearted servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. W. R. S. THE MISSIONARY OBSERVER. MAY, 1884. Contributions for the Foreign Missions. It is particularly requested that all Contributions for the next Annual Report, with lists of the same, may be forwarded to the Treasurer or Secretary on or before the 31st of May, as the accounts for the year must be closed on that day. In preparing the Lists of Contributions will the local Secretaries kindly enter (1) Public and Sacramental Collections; (2) Contributions by Adults; (3) by Juveniles? Sums under 5s. should be entered as "Small sums." Nominations for the Committee. LAY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.-Under the new regulations all the members of the Committee, consisting of twenty, retire every year. Sixteen are chosen by ballot at the Annual Members' Meeting, and four by the newly-elected sixteen. Any subscriber, or subscribing church, may nominate any number of gentlemen to serve on the Committee. It is, however, very important that no one should be nominated who is not known to be willing to serve, if elected. Nominations for the ballot must be in the hands of the Secretary, the Rev. W. Hill, Mission House, 60, Wilson Street, Derby, on or before the 5th day of June. No name can be received after that date. MINISTERIAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.-New Regulation."That in fature each Conference, at its last meeting before the Association, shall nominate certain ministers in that Conference to represent it on the Foreign Mission Committee; it being understood that all ministers of subscribing churches shall be eligible to attend as heretofore, providing their expenses be not charged to the Society." "That the number of ministerial members be sixteen, divided as follows: Midland Conference, 6; Yorkshire, 3; Lincolnshire, 2; London, 2; Warwickshire, 2; Cheshire, 1." The attention of the Conferences is directed to the above regulation, and the Secretaries will oblige by sending the nominations as early as possible to the Secretary of the Foreign Mission. WE have much pleasure in giving the following article from the "Freeman," and trust that it may stimulate the friends of the Mission to increased liberality. Copies of the appeal, suitable for placing in the pews or of addressing to friends, may be had on application to the Secretary. The Missionary Observer for April contains a clear statement and an earnest appeal. The General Baptist Missionary Society, like her elder sister organization, has found it to be impossible to refuse response to the cry for help, or to say no to the call for extension. Mission work, if successful, grows, and every student of missionary literature, equally with every sharer in the consultations of missionary committee, is fully aware that the reward of doing work efficiently is the getting of more work to do. No one can question the worth or the results of the Orissa Missiona mission which has enjoyed much of the Divine blessing, and through which many thousands have learnt of the love of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The staff there needs recruiting. It is insufficient, whether the extent of the field or the varied and manifold demands are considered. A like remark applies to the interesting mission in Rome. The Rev. N. H. Shaw asks the committee to bid him and his associates establish stations in cities scarcely less needy than Rome. Apart even from these reasons for an increased expenditure, there is an irresistible argument for a large addition to the income. The committee cannot make its present receipts equal the outgoings from the treasury, and the consequence is more or less of arrears. Under these circumstances, the churches of the General Baptist Association are asked to increase their contributions. A modest request is made-that the receipts be raised from £3,500 to £4,000 a year. It cannot be that this £500 will be withheld. There are some 25,000 members in General Baptist Churches. The poorest church in the denomination could give an average of three shillings for every member in the year. The number of persons in a congregation and Sunday-school above the age of fifteen years is seldom less than four times the number of members. In the case of a church of fifteen members, three shillings per member would be £7 10s. a year. This would mean only fourpence halfpenny for every person above the age of fifteen. Clearly, therefore, such a contribution is within the means of the poorest church. And yet, if no church gave less than this, and the churches that now give more continued their present rate of giving, more than £4,000 would be received. It is all a question of organization and systematic giving. The General Baptist Association can easily do what its Missionary Committee so modestly asks, and we trust it will be done promptly and cheerfully. An old friend and liberal supporter of the Mission writes: I have the pleasure to enclose a cheque for £10 towards the Foreign Mission funds. I am sorry to learn from the G. B. Magazine that funds do not come in so freely as you could wish. I was very much in hope that our Christian friends in all the churches would have awaked to the importance of better organization for the Mission. Somehow or other they seem very slow in setting to work in what to us seems a very simple matter. If some of our friends could see the millions in India, I sometimes think they would awake. If the pastors of the churches would but become interested, I think the work would easily be done. May the Lord help them. HEATHEN." The word 'heathen' means literally heath-dwellers, and was given in olden days to the poor country folk, who were too often left in the darkness of pagan worship, while the more civilized inhabitants of the town were gladdened by the light of the Gospel. The word is now used to denote all who are living, as did the ancient heath-dwellers, without the knowledge of Christ." Extracts from Indian Letters. UNDER date of the 2nd of February, Mr. Mulholland writes: I have just returned from a three weeks' tour in the mofussil. We were rather a large band-brother Young, Mrs. M. and children, self, and three native brethren. On starting we intended working our way to Balasore, but the work so increased, that with our limited time we found it impracticable to go further than Bhuddruck. Here, however, we were joined by brother Coldren from Balasore, who came to welcome us to his field of labour. He stayed with us three days, during which time we enjoyed much pleasant and profitable conversation about the work, in which we are really united, in the fullest sense of the word. We all went to the Bhuddruck market-considered the largest in Orissa. Here we found at least 5,000 people, to many of whom the gospel was preached, possibly, for the first time. What a capital station Bhuddruck would make for an European brother. Here he would meet every week possibly 10,000 people, coming from a radius of 30 miles. The Balasore brethren are too far north-forty-three miles,-while our nearest station (the only one north of Cuttack) is twenty-six miles south. With the exception of this weak station at Khundittur, we have one hundred miles of Orissa without one settled Christian preacher to diffuse the light of the gospel in this dark portion of the country. How long is this sad state of matters to continue? The clamant needs of this large tract of country has affected me very much. If the Committee would supply another suitable man for the press, and I knew the language a little better, I should to-morrow pack up my traps, and be off to Bhuddruck. The market work I should greatly delight in Our faith was not equal to the demand for books. We took with us to the market about rupees 2/8 worth-say three hundred books and tracts, but we speedily got rid of every one. How great is the harvest and the labourers how few. My contingent of the party held five meetings in the two hours we were there, and the attention to the word preached was all that could be desired. Pray for the work done by the brethren this year in the mofussil. "There is the sound of abundance of rain." Come, blessed time, come quickly. Mr. Vaughan, writing from Piplee on Feb. 14th, remarks— or so. I only returned on Saturday night from a tour which lasted a month all but a day This time my wife stayed at Pooree, and I am thankful to say she is much stronger. Thoma, Jacob, and Bhagaban are still out. I don't know how they fared last night. We had a very bad thunderstorm, and some of the heaviest rain we have had. for three months or more. I expect they were near to Bonamalipore, but if they were in tent they must have had a soaking. The wind was so strong I don't think their tent could possibly have borne up against it. We had a good tour. I made a sort of shed at the Hatikeswera Játrá, and covered it with tent wrappers, so that we had an excellent shade and a sort of little shop for our books. We sold a good number, and I left some with a Christian dhirzee from Khoordah, who had a little shop there in which he worked his sewing machine. Brother Bailey bought this machine for him in England. It is almost as bright as when it was taken out of the packing case. We sold nearly rupees 8/- of books, which is good for this district. We went to one place where there was some religious ceremony, and the lads almost knocked us down in their eagerness to get the books, all of which were sold. It was dark before we left, and we had to walk over two miles to our tent; but I never saw such eagerness to buy books. We did not know about this festival when we left our tent in the afternoon or we should have gone there at once. I called at two post offices some twelve miles apart, and saw a gospel on the table of each as soon as I entered. There is every reason to believe that our books are very widely read and appreciated. We had a good number of people in our tents every now and then. At one time I counted over twenty-five in mine. A good part of this journey has been across the jungle, where it has been rather difficult travelling, and the brethren have not come this route frequently; but I was pleased to find that our books, and something about Jesus Christ, were known in almost every village. UNDER date of January 5th, the Rev. T. Bailey writes: Our special services connected with the new year have proved more interesting and successful than I had ventured to anticipate, and I must therefore send you a brief account of them, though we are in the midst of preparations to leave again for the country on Monday. We arranged to begin our watch-night service at eleven o'clock, and on proceeding to the chapel at that time I was surprised to find it quite full. Special arrangements had been made in the villages, and nearly all the people were able to attend, and several European friends were also present with us; the service was therefore a united one. Captain Taylor gave a pithy and stimulating address in English, several good Oriya addresses followed, and the service altogether was an inspiring one. On the morrow a mid-day service was held, which was well attended; and at five o'clock Captain Taylor distributed the prizes to the Sunday school children. The address, which was in English, was translated by Babu Daniel Mahanty, who, as superintendent of the school, was warmly congratulated on its manifestly healthy and flourishing condition. In the meantime some stirring games had been heartily enjoyed by the young people, and the children's hearts were made glad by a liberal distribution of sweetmeats. The members of the Young Men's Improvement Society also came out in strength, and sang with spirit some new hymns composed for the occasion; several of their number had also delivered acceptable addresses at one or other of the previous services. In the evening we had a love-feast, which was attended by more than two hundred of the native Christians; and several European friends also came to share in our joy. It has not been my privilege for some time to witness so much genuine enjoyment and enthusiasm. Monday, Jan. 7th.-One young man was baptized here yesterday. You will be grieved to hear of the death of Moni, Daniel's widowed sister. She had long been a useful member of the church, and her end was very happy. New year's meetings have also been held at Padri Polli; the Young Men's Society there numbers twenty members. On the 5th February Mr. Bailey writes: I returned a few days ago from our tour in the country, which proved a very busy and interesting one, and a larger number of books have been sold on this and the former trips this season than in any previous expeditions of the kind in the district. May the Lord add the needed blessing to His own word and work! We have been busy, too, since our return, and Sunday was a very full day. Two young men were baptized in the morning, a united communion service was held in the afternoon, and Mr. Stewart, of Aska, preached to us in English in the evening. We have on several previous occasions held an English service on the Sunday evening in the Mission bungalow, and the congregation gradually increased till we found the accommodation inconveniently straitened. We determined, therefore, to hold this service in the chapel-the first occasion on which it has been used for the purpose for now several years. There were more than thirty persons present, and the sermon, which was earnest and evangelical, was listened to with devout attention throughout. Mr. Stewart is recently from Glasgow, where he was engaged in voluntary evangelistic labours; and though his profession as an engineer is an exacting one, he is doing good and useful work of the same kind here. Captain Taylor, of Gopalpore, also renders acceptable help; and though these friends can only be with us occasionally, the services are so evidently appreciated that we shall be obliged to hold them more frequently, if not regularly, during the coming year. Since I wrote last I have received a set of photographic transparencies for the magic lantern from Col. Trail, R.E, at present Examiner of Accounts in the Public Works department, Bengal. The colonel was a fellow-passenger both in the "Navarino" and the "Goorkha," and I prize very much these expressions of his goodwill to myself and the Mission. |