Africa can be reached and explored, and the bulwarks of Satan attacked by the messengers of Christ." The climate appears good, and the still higher land of the interior presents a fair prospect of increased healthfulness.

HANKEY, SOUTH AFRICA.

A LETTER from Dr Philip, dated at this station, October 12th last, gives an affecting account of an inundation with which they had been visited. The village is situated near the Gamtoos river; and the Klur river, which falls into it, runs through the institution. The mission-house stands on the side of the valley, on an elevation of about fifty feet; and the valley opposite the village is about a mile and a half in width. At the bottom of the high ground on which the mission-house stands, and immediately in front of it, there are an hundred gardens, containing fifty acres in beautiful order, and presenting one of the most pleasing and picturesque sights imaginable. By the continued fall of rain for most of three days, the rivers were swollen so as to cover the whole valley by an early hour on the morning of Saturday the 2d, so that the houses of the people were seen falling on every side, and the occupants, some of them carrying their children, making all haste to save their lives. Sixteen persons were seen to reach the highest ground attainable, but

were shortly after overtaken by the waters.
They were observed for several hours while
the water was advancing upon them, and
their cries were heard at three quarters of
a mile distant, and their arms scen extend-
ed imploring help, while none could be
given them. When the water was up to
their middle, they were seen holding up a
sick woman in their arms. Between ten
and eleven o'clock they had all disappeared
but three, who swam to a house which
floated near them, and got upon its roof.
The last of those who perished was a female,
a member of the church. Finding that she
had only a few minutes to live, she gave
vent to her feelings by singing aloud a
beautiful Dutch hymn, of which the Doctor
incloses a translation. The hymn consists
of seven verses, six lines in each.
reported to have sung it through with great
animation, and to have sunk as she finished
the last line. The two concluding stanzas
are as follows:---

"Now my conscience feareth not;
Doth the Lord my right gainsay?
He declares me free of spot,

Who hath borne my guilt away.
Nought shall now my spirit grieve,—
Jesus sinners will receive.

"Jesus sinners will receive; Me hath He received too; Glories, heart could not conceive,

He unfoldeth to my view. Death is joy while I believe,Jesus sinners will receive.'

PRESBYTERY NOTICES.

to

Dundee. This presbytery met on the 22d February; the Rev. James Reston moderator. In regard to the form of process, some alterations were proposed and agreed to. The remit of Synod respecting a delegated Assembly is to be taken up at next meeting, when sessions are to report on the subject. Granted supply of sermon Alyth, Mr Hogg being unwell. The Temple Lane Church reported that they declined implementing the unanimous decision of the presbytery, which decision was, that the presbytery faithfully urged on the Temple Lane congregation the moral obliga tions under which they lie, to retire a bill of L.15, on which bill are the names of their late minister, the Rev. John Cross, those of the preses and clerk of the congregation. The congregation having so reported, the presbytery agreed to refer the whole case, simpliciter, to the Synod. Two motions were postponed till next meeting, the one regarding the mode of raising funds

She is

for supplying ministers' pulpits in affliction ; the other on church finance, &c.

Dunfermline. This presbytery met on the 14th of March; the Rev. Mr Wilson, moderator. Mr George Morris was licensed to preach the gospel. The presbytery received due notification that the instructions given at last meeting to the congregations of North Chapel Street and Maygate, in reference to the steps necessary to the formal completion of their union, had been carried into effect; that at a joint meeting of these two congregations, held on the 8th instant, in Maygate Church, for the special purpose, the Rev. Mr More (who had been appointed to attend the meeting along with Professor M'Michael) in the chair, the two congregations had respectively, by a show of hands, declared their willingness to be united into one, under the ministry of the Rev. Professor M'Michael, and bearing the name of North Chapel Street Congregation; and that they considered themselves to be now formally united. The presbytery, highly gratified with this result,

agreed to give their cordial sanction to the union thus happily formed, to declare it to be now formally consummated; and, with earnest desires for the prosperity of the united congregation, and its worthy pastor, to drop the name of Maygate Congregation from the presbytery's roll of congregations. The presbytery had under consideration also the rules and forms of procedure, and agreed to express it as their opinion, that the body of rules and forms, as a whole, is too cumbrous and complicated, and in various parts might with great advantage be abridged and simplified: that in the Rule No. 1, defining the persons who shall constitute the Board of Missions (p. 78), the designation ruling elders should be substituted for " laymen in full

communion with the Church." That the Rule No. 6, p. 81, in reference to the supplementing of stipends, should be so altered as to run thus:-" All applications for aid in supplementing stipends are addressed in the first instance to the presbytery of the bounds, whose duty it is to enquire into the circumstances, and the exertions of each congregation applying for aid; and the decision or recommendation of the presbytery being transmitted to the Home Committee, said committee has power either to grant or to reject the application, it being competent for any party dissatisfied to appeal to the Synod." And that in Rule 12, p. 82, requiring reports from congregations receiving aid, yearly reports should be substituted for half-yearly, and the other parts adapted to this change. An overture was laid on the table by the Rev. Mr Law, proposing the visitation of the congregations of the presbytery by deputations of its members appointed for the purpose. The consideration of it, from want of time, was delayed to another meeting. The presbytery is to consider the subject of a delegated Supreme court at next meeting, to be held at Kinross on the 18th April.

Edinburgh. This court held its ordinary meeting on 7th March; Dr Ritchie moderator. It was intimated that Mr Semple had agreed to accept the call from the congregation of Peebles, and that the congregation of Bread Street, Edinburgh, had given a harmonious call to the Rev. John Kidd of St Andrews. The persons connected with the Newington Station were congregated according to the rules of the church. A letter was read from the Rev. Alexander Leitch, formerly missionary in India, requesting to be admitted as a preacher in connexion with the United Presbyterian Church. The presbytery appointed a committee to examine Mr Leitch's testimonials, and to report at next meeting. The case of the West Linton congregation

was recommended to the liberality of the more wealthy members of the congregations in the presbytery, and the Rev. Mr Girdwood was appointed to prepare a statement for circulation. The committee appointed to confer with Mr Richard Millar and the session of South College Street Church, gave in the report, stating that they had met with the parties, and that the result of the conference had been, that Mr Millar had withdrawn his memorial. The report was approved of. The Rev. W. Thomson of Slateford, moved the adoption of a scheme for the examination of students. After some discussion a committee was appointed to compare Mr Thomson's scheme with others which had been suggested, and to report.

Galloway. This presbytery met at Wigton on the 22d February. Messrs M'Queen and Sprott, students, delivered lectures on the subjects prescribed. On petition of the Wigton congregation, a moderation was appointed to take place there on the 9th of March. Transmitted a petition addressed to the Synod from the congregation of Wigton, complaining of the reading of discourses in the pulpit, and praying the Synod to adopt such measures in reference to this matter as may seem to them best calculated to promote the good of the church. With respect to the rules and forms of procedure, the presbytery agreed to report, that, while they approve of the rules and forms generally, they beg to recommend that, in the formula for preachers at license, the 7th and 8th question in the old formula be substituted for the 5th, 6th, and 7th questions in the ad interim formula. Mr Hannay brought the subject of home missions before the court, and suggested a scheme for conducting the home missions of our church with greater efficiency; when the general principles of said scheme being approved of by the presbytery, he was requested to correspond with the committee on home missions, and to report.

Glasgow. This presbytery met February 22d; Dr Beattie, moderator. The following report was received from the committee of the whole presbytery, appointed at last meeting to consider the subject introduced by Dr Taylor, relative to increasing the number of the city churches, and extending the means of grace among the poor, viz." As it appears from a very free and full consideration of the important subject before the committee, that great unanimity exists as to the leading principles on which the ends proposed should be sought to be attained, agree to recommend that a subcommittee be appointed to draw out a statement of these principles, to be read at an early meeting of presbytery, and after

wards sent, if approved of, to our various congregations, in the hope of stimulating our people to originate and carry through such measures as the present exigencies demand. The report was unanimously approved of, and a committee appointed accordingly, after which the presbytery adjourned. The presbytery met on the second Tuesday of last month; the Rev. Dr Beattie, moderator. After some preliminary business, the presbytery entered on the consideration of the Rev. John Blair's demission of his charge of the congregation of Drymen. Mr Blair was present in the court, and also Messrs Archibald Bilsland, and Archibald Muirhead, from the congregation. Mr Blair was heard as to his reasons for demitting his charge. He declared that he had changed his views as to the practical working of the voluntary principle, especially in small congregations and thinly peopled districts. It was found, from his statement in the presence of the court, that all pecuniary matters between him and the congregation had been fully and amicably settled. Having heard parties, Mr Blair's demission was received, his pastoral relation to Drymen congregation dissolved, his name taken from the roll of presbytery; and, as he had intimated his intention of withdrawing from the communion of the United Presbyterian Church, the presbytery declared him no longer a minister or member of the United Church, granting him an extract of its minutes in his case of demission, and leaving him to apply for other extracts craved by him to other presbyteries of the church. A call from Thornliebank to Mr Andrew Wield, signed by seventy-seven members and fifty-six ordinary hearers, was sustained by the presbytery, and accepted of by Mr Wield, who had trials for ordination assigned him. Dr Eadie was heard on his motion to petition Parliament to reform the parochial schools of Scotland, and free them from sectarian restrictions; and a petition in terms of the motion was agreed on by the presbytery to be sent to the House of Commons, after being signed by the moderator and clerk. Dr Robson gave notice, that at next meeting he would move that the presbytery overture the supreme court in reference to the practice of presbyterial visitation of congregations. Dr Beattie gave notice, that at next meeting he would move that, when trials for license are to be given in, there shall be a call of the house. Reports on the form of procedure from the sessions of Anderston, Barrhead, Greyfriars, Old Kilpatrick West, Coatbridge, London Road, were transmitted, without being read, to the Synod's committee. A memorial from the Glasgow Sabbath School Union was read, and the presbytery cordially approved of the subject of the memorial, and

agreed that it be transmitted to the Synod's committee on Sabbath School Education, and a committee was appointed to take the subject under consideration, and report. Mr George Brown delivered trials for ordination, which were approved. The presbytery delayed arrangements for his ordination until next meeting.

Hamilton.-This court met on 25th January, and divided the churches of the bounds into three districts, with Hamilton, Strathaven, and Newarthill as their centres, for the purpose of holding conferences of sessions, with the view of promoting the interests of the denomination, and stirring up the churches to duty. Arrangements were made for visiting the Sabbath-schools under the presbytery's care, and procuring statistics of the same. Mr Archibald Allison, student, was, after the usual trials, licensed to preach the gospel. The presbytery met again 29th February. A cheering report was given respecting the conferences of sessions, held as appointed at last meeting. Dorcas Societies had been instituted, Sabbath morning classes for the destitute young, and week-day evening classes, where the elements of secular edu. cation would be imparted to poor children. A report submitted by the committee on Sabbath-schools was ordered to be printed, preparatory to the visiting of deputations. Messrs Cochrane and Weir, students, delivered discourses. After a discussion on the interim rules and forms of procedure, the presbytery expressed their strong condemnation of the conditions specified in articles 11, 12, and 13, on page 82 of the rules, on which it is proposed to supplement the stipends given by weak congregations-both those which are to be positively obligatory, and those which are to rank simply as things understood or expected, and that for the following reasons:

1. Because they deem a minister of a weak congregation entitled to the supplement as minister of that congregation, and for his labours in it; and not as the missionary of the district in which it is situated, and for the labours he performs as such, in addition to what might have been expected of him as minister of that congregation, though no such supplementing scheme has ever had existence. 2. Because to require him to report his missionary labours, while his brethren not requiring aid, are not required to report theirs, is to make an invidious distinction between him and them," as if he required more strict looking after, though no way their inferior in piety and zeal; and though his stipend, even when supplemented, being still smaller than theirs, is less likely to ensnare him into indolence, than their larger ones are likely to produce that effect on them. And further,—because

it is very sensibly and painfully to degrade him from his former equality with them in standing; and that for no other reason than that he has not happened to obtain so comfortable a lot, as far as earthly substance is concerned, as they. And the presbytery cannot believe that the best way to make a man an efficient minister is to degrade him in his own eyes and in the eyes of his congregation, of his brother ministers, and of all around him. 3. Because to require a congregation receiving aid to give any statement of its affairs, beyond a certificate of its having implemented its part of the engagements, or to have a missionary association in it, wrought according to the Synod's plan, is to inflict on it the same degradation, as, by the part of the conditions adverted to in last reason, is inflicted on its minister, unless the same things are required of all the congregations in the body. 4. Because the home committee, in requiring that the reports from the ministers and congregations receiving aid should be made to them, and not to the presbyteries exclusively, are grasping at a power which will be subversive of the constitution, and ruinous to the freedom of the church to grant them. 5. Because the presbytery had understood that the scheme was to be wrought out in a generous spirit, and not that advantage was to be taken of it to bring the ministers and congregations, participating in its benefits, under committee dictation-that a boon was to be conferred on these ministers and congregations, and not that a rod was to be held over them, or a whip applied to them. On the subject of a delegated supreme court, the presbytery were unanimously of opinion that the public business of the church would be most efficiently conducted by such a court, provided that, in forming it, the representatives were always taken in regular succession from the top and bottom of the roll of the respective presbyteries alternately, and that the officials in the supreme court should not have the privilege to deliberate and vote, except when they are representatives. The Rev. Henry A. Paterson of Stonehouse, tendered the demission of his charge, with the view of going abroad. A committee was appointed to meet with Mr Paterson, and the elders and managers of his church, respecting this matter.

Kelso. This presbytery met on 15th Febuary-present, seven ministers and two elders. Mr Renton, for a sub-committee appointed to prepared a list of queries to elders, managers, or deacons, reported that queries had been prepared and issued as directed. A return was received from the First congregation, Kelso, and it was arranged that, in prosecution of their scheme, the presbytery should hold a presbyterial

visitation of said church. Various members of presbytery were appointed, one to preach, and the others to give addresses on the occasion, the subject of address being as follows,-Missionary and benevolent exertion-personal obligation resting on members of the church to maintain Christian ordinances-the spiritual claims of the young. The presbytery having entered on the consideration of the Synod's remit respecting a delegated Supreme court, the reports of sessions on the subject were called for, and the presbytery unanimously agreed to adopt, as expressing fully and simply their own sentiments on the question, the following report from the East congregation, Kelso:-"That, whether viewed in the light of being conducive to economy, regularity, and faithfulness of attendance, or calmness and promptitude of deliberation and judgment, an assembly, composed of a limited number of the ministers and elders of each presbytery, chosen according to a fair scheme of rotation, whether with or without the intervention of provincial Synods as courts of appeal, would be eminently an improvement upon the present mode of conducting the government of so large a body by a supreme court, made up nominally of all the members of all the presbyteries of the United Church." Mr Renton submitted the following motion on the subject of Sabbath sanctification :"That as the different Presbyterian bodies of this country are happily united in their views of the Sabbath; and it is through the instructions and fidelity of the Church of Christ instrumentally that the sanctification of the Lord's day is to be promoted-and a peculiar obligation seems to be laid upon the Church at the present time to exert her legitimate influence, and employ her appropriate means for disseminating right sentiments on this subject among the people at large, and maintaining a consistent practice among her own members-the presbytery are of opinion that much benefit might be expected from a simultaneous effort for this end; and, in order to it, respectfully request the Established Presbytery of Kelso and the Free Church Presbytery of Kelso, to appoint a committee severally, to meet with a committee of this presbytery, to make arrangements for preaching specially on the obligation of the sacred observance of the Lord's day, on a given Sabbath or Sabbaths, from all the pulpits within their bounds." This motion was cordially and unanimously received and adopted, and the presbytery, conform thereto, appointed the moderator, clerk, and the Rev. H. Renton, a committee, to meet with any committee that may be appointed by the sister presbyteries; and instructed their clerk to communicate the same to the clerks of the re

spective presbyteries. Next meeting was appointed to take place on the 4th April

next.

Kilmarnock. This presbytery, on the 29th of February, sustained a unanimous call from the congregation of Cumnock to Mr Matthew Dickie, and prescribed to him subjects of trials for ordination; and, after some business of a more private kind, spent a considerable time in considering the rules and forms, hearing suggested amendments, and taking a marking of such as were adopted, for being reported to the Synod's committee. Next meeting was appointed to be at Ayr, April 11th, when, inter alia, the question of a delegated Supreme court will be taken up.

ORDINATION.

Trinidad. On the 19th January, Mr Arsenio de Silva, a Portuguese gentleman of high attainment and respectability, was ordained to the office of the ministry in Greyfriars' Church, Trinidad, by the missionary presbytery of the United Presbyterian Church in that island. The Rev. Mr Banks conducted the devotional exercises; the Rev. Mr Brodie preached the

ordination sermon; and the Rev. Mr Kennedy put the usual questions. The services, which were all conducted in the Portuguese language, were very interesting, and produced impressions of deep solemnity on all present. Greyfriar's Church is composed of emigrants from the island of Madeira, who had embraced the Protestant faith during the labours there of Dr Kelly, and were compelled to flee from the persecution to which they were subjected in their native land. They had enjoyed for some months in this place the labours of their former pastor, the Rev. Mr Hewitson of the Free Church, and now the settlement among them of Mr de Silva is most satisfactory to all.

ANOTHER FRENCH REVOLUTION.

IN the retrospect of the last few weeks we see riot, reform, and revolution dividing civilized Europe between them; and, in attempting to note their progress, it is as if the events of a century were crowding upon our view. One brief month has furnished for the future historian materials more abundant in interest affecting the political systems of some of the chief nations of the earth, than he will find in the previous twenty years. As usual, when the rumbling of such an earthquake is heard in Europe, the eruption of the volcano has taken place in Paris. The king of the barricades -the Napoleon of peace-the ablest sovereign in Europe, or the world, is now Count Neuilly-a fugitive seeking shelter in perfidious Albion! What a solemn lesson of the vanity of human glory! It is but a few weeks ago, and who was so great and apparently so secure in his greatness, as the king of the French? His counsels seemed to prosper over all the globe, Belgium, Greece, Spain, Algiers, TAHITI, bore witness to the success of his measures for establishing the interests of his own family, and the power of the French nation; and if these did not promise him security against

what has proved the chief source of danger to royalty in France-the fickle and fiery multitude of Paris-still the counsels of a world-renowned minister, and a capital fortified to the teeth and occupied by a hundred thousand soldiers sworn to his government, seemed to place the throne of Louis Philippe beyond all reach of danger. Clever sons and accomplished daughters surrounding his royal table, and forming alliances with the old legitimate sovereigns of Europe, held out the prospect of a long and glorious career for his dynasty in France. How soon the cloud has gathered and burst over this hopeful scene! Within a few hours from the time when his power seemed thoroughly established, and when his plans for coping with the chief source of danger, the Parisian mob, were just completed, Louis Philippe and his Queen are glad to escape "with the skin of their teeth" from their own palace, and, after a series of romantic adventures as disguised travellers, they thank God that they have planted their foot on English ground.

We cannot pretend to narrate in detail the events connected with this great change. We refer to the newspapers of the day. It is sufficient that we state in a few sentences some of the leading facts. It had long been