torious convict, Smethurst, is a great relief to the public mind, not because he is not verily guilty, but because his guilt is "not proven."-The British Association has been held at Aberdeen -Two literary s ars have fallen, and are now quenched in darkness. Leigh Hunt and Sir James Stephen the first, a contemporary with Byron, Shelley, Charles Lamb, and Coleridge, and a personal friend of all; and the second, well-known as the professor of modern history in the University of Cambridge, and author of Essays in Ecclesiastical Biography," and "Lectures on the History of France." We shall rejoice to hear that other lectures are found among Sir James' papers sufficiently matured to warrant publication.

The great French conjurer, Louis Napoleon, has played no new trick; but the conference between Leopold and he, two reserved and wily men, may yet startle us with some political legerdemain, and the Chinese disaster will very likely be made a fresh means of regaining favour with Britain by rivalry in arms. Louis Blanc and Victor Hugo refuse the amnesty offered. They know full well that their return to a country shorn of its liberty, will only be like thrusting their heads in the lion's mouth. The people of the Italian duchies have shown themselves worthy of freedom. Order, constitutionalism, and liberty they

will have-not their Austrian rulers.Cape colony is robbed of a popular and valuable governor, Sir George Grey, by the unblushing nepotism of Lord Derby. We shall never have done with this nefarious conduct in otherwise great men till the voice of the people rings with a clearer note in the hall of St. Stephen's. All honour to the Manchester school, who amid obloquy and temporary disgrace, have kept on in their patriotic endeavours to secure this desirable consummation.-Abdul Medjid, the Sublime Porte, has been in danger from the hand of an assassin; and, ("tell it not in Gath!") his seraglio holds one less than formerly, for an opera-singer has eloped with the Sultan's eight hundredth wife!

The harvest does not appear so generally abundant as was at first anticipated; but cheap bread is still possible for the winter. Harvests have been unusually heavy in the Canadas and the United States. Irish papers deny that the potato disease has again made its appearance, and declare that the crops were never better and never healthier. The disas trous war in Lombardy has done such injury to mulberry-trees, that many years will transpire before Italian silk will become plentiful and cheap; and Greek currants, familiarly known as currants," will be scarce, the heavy rains grocers' having nearly destroyed the crops.

Marriages and Deaths.

MARRIAGES.

Sept. 6th, at Broad-street chapel, Nottingham, by Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A., Mr. Rupert Baldwin, grocer, to Henrietta, eldest daughter of Henry Mallet, Esq., lace manufacturer, Sherwood Rise.

Sept. 8th, at Islington chapel, by Rev. B. S. Hollis, assisted by Rev. T. Goadby, B.A., of Coventry, Cromwell C. Goadby, Esq., of 20, Thornhill square, London, to Clarissa Ann, eldest daughter of the late Joseph Spiers, Esq.

Sept. 15th, at Northgate Chapel, Louth, by Rev. W. Orton, assisted by Rev. J. Burton, Mr. S. R. Ebbet, youngest son of Capt. Ebbet, to Mary, oldest daughter of the late Geo. Middleton, Esq. Sept. 16th, at the Baptist Chapel, Bourne, Mr. W. H. Smith, to Sarah Measures, of Deeping St James; and at the same time, Mr. J. Smith, to Mary Ann Measures.

DEATHS.

July 8th, at Calcutta, of abscess of the liver, Rev A. F. Lacroix, for thirty-eight years a most devoted, useful, and honoured missionary of the London Missionary Society.

July 28th, suddenly, at Kirkee, Bombay, the Venerable the Archdeacon Francis C. S. Reynolds, after a cheerful and most devoted service in the presidency, aged 44.

Aug. 22nd, at Spalding, aged 58, Mrs. Mary Thompson, widow of the late Rev. J. Thompson, minister of Market Harbro'. Her last affliction was painful, mentally and bodily; but through her faith in Jesus, she is now "inheriting the promises."

Sept. 3rd, after a few hours' illness, Ann, the beloved wife of Mr. Robert Seals, lace manufacturer, Nottingham, aged 43.

Sept. 4th, at Glasgow, Rev. J. C.George, late missionary in India, after a long and severe illness, aged 56.

Missionary Observer.

DELIVERANCE ACKNOWLEDGED.

From the Friend of India, July 28.

lute power to Puritans. A race of heathen but just conquered, replanted the christian power. Musulman mountaineers, never quiet since Alexander's retreat, became docile soldiers for the sovereign they were educated to defy. Wherever a leader was wanted he appeared. Wherever time was all important, the few hours essential to victory were given. Had Delhi fallen a week later, or had Sir Colin Campbell delayed his return to Cawnpore by a single day-? The trained courage of the sepoy so often vaunted by Englishmen was turned to cowardice. His inscrutable guile seemed throughout the contest simple foolishness. Never once did a native force remain victors on the field. Never once was a native plan successful for aught but the murder of the defenceless. Amidst millions in arms not one great leader was permitted to arise. Amidst catastrophes, continued daily for six months, not one was permitted to affect the vitals of our power. And now, after two years of incessant battle, the empire is regained. There is again security through all the provinces of India. Enemies almost countless have disappeared. Every army sent against us has been destroyed. Every kingdom in insurrection has been subdued. Every town lost has been retaken. Every fortress seized is reoccupied by British soldiers. Our power to do and to omit is tripled; and the course of civilization, barred for a moment, is once more made clear. If these things be not of God, under whose rule is earth?

AFFLAVIT DEUS ET DISSIPATI SUNT.From a hundred restored churches and a thousand rescued homes there rises today a thanksgiving to God for a mercy such as history has rarely to record. Never, certainly, since the Armada shattered itself to pieces on the Orkneys, has God so visibly wrought deliverance for men of English strain. The Indian world recognizes the valour and the strength of Sir John Lawrence, Sir Robert Montgomery, Colonel Edwardes, General Nicholson, and fifty others, by whose agency the empire and its rulers were alike preserved, and the recognition is just and wise. But credit, as they have been the first to acknowledge, is due to them as instruments alone. The task to be accomplished was beyond the power of man. Scarcely two years ago, a ruling race, numbering soldier and citizen less than twenty thousand men, found itself on trial for its life. Against them were a hundred thousand of their own trained soldiers, and fifty thousand of their allies. Around them were forty millions of Pagans craving for slaughter, ripping up children, proclaiming in word and act that victory was valueless unless secured by extermination. All the defensible cities of the region had been lost. All the accessible arsenals were in the insurgents' hands. All means of communication, save by armies or by spies, were at an end. The rulers of the land had been and remained stricken with foolishness. No great soldier was present to guide or concentrate their feeble strength. No help from without could be expected for five long months. With- It may be well to recall to-day our posiin there was no ally save Him to whom tion in July, 1857, if only to repress that to-day we turn in thankfulness. To all feeling of hopelessness which is creeping eyes not blinded, or cleared by faith in over the land. The aspect of affairs may the protection of the Almighty, it seemed be dark enough. There is weakness in all that the British rule in the North West high places, and class hatred among all was about to be wiped out in blood. below. Precaution for the future is deAnd still without help from the ruling spised as much as gratitude for the past. power, without any one change in cir- Every opportunity offered is missed, every cumstances, while the hate of the soldiery mischief subverted is set up once more. remained as inveterate as ever, and the Every evil is tolerated if it can but plead people were still eager for plunder and that it is also idolatrous, that it is as offensive blood, the expectant victims were de- to God as injurious to man. Still nothing livered. Man after man started up able is worse than in 1857. It is hard amidst to cope with the events around, because all we see to possess our souls in patience, willing to ascribe to God the glory of but it is not more impossible now that A ruler careless of all that India should be wisely governed, than it God-fearing Englishmen love, gave abso-was in 1857, that India should be saved.

success.

THANKSGIVING DAY AT CUTTACK,

LETTER FROM MISS BUTLER TO REV. G. CHEATLE,

OF BIRMINGHAM.

DEATH OF THE REV. A. F. LACROIX, OF CALCUTTA.

THE visit paid by the Rev. A F. Lacroix and his son-in-law, the Rev. Joseph Mullens, to the stations in Orissa, about ten years ago, has often been spoken of with special interest and owing to it, their names have become familiar to the supporters of our mission. Intelligence has been recently received of the decease of Mr. Lacroix. The following announcement of the mournful event is taken from the Patriot.

DEATH OF THE REV. A. F. LACROIX.

gal. His personal religious character was of the highest order, and acquired uni- Bishop; and others in the midst of life very eminent men, like the late venerable versal respect. His large-hearted catholicity led him to seek friendship and Mr. Weitbrecht; but I have never known and usefulness, like Mr. Macdonald and christian communion with believers, and any one whose death excited deeper especially missionaries of various denomi- sorrow. nations; and both by example and pre-emphatically, that he "finished his course It may be said of Mr. Lacroix cept he did much to increase and with joy." Some men have outlived maintain the practical union existing usefulness, influence, and reputation; but between the agents and members of the he, to the last, had a good report of all several missionary societies in India. men, and of the truth itself;" and to He was trusted, honoured, and beloved the hour of his fatal seizure, was enamongst them all, and the high regard gaged with cheerful alacrity in his in which the London Missionary Society accustomed labour. is held in Northern India, was built, to a With rare powers large extent, upon the high character while his unaffected kindness, his sagacity of mind he had equally rare simplicity; which he, its oldest missionary, main- in counsel, his extensive knowledge of the tained so long. His alarming illness, people, his long experience as a missionwhich began at the end of May, excited ary of thirty-eight years' almost uninuniversal sympathy, and called forth un- terrupted service, his unequalled gifts as ceasing prayers in every church and chapel of every denomination. a vernacular preacher, his lively charity, dying interviews with old friends-as holiness, constrained all men to love and His his genuine piety, his zeal, his faith, his Dr. Duff, Mr. Wenger, Mr. Wylie, and others were affecting in the extreme; to respect him. and streng men left his room weeping like children, "sorrowing most for the words that he spoke, that they should see his face no more.' His funeral was the largest which the city of Calcutta has seen for many years. churches, including the Bishop of CalChristians of all cutta, Archdeacon Pratt, and numerous ministers and missionaries, with a large number of the native christians from the society's stations, gathered round his grave. The Rev. T. Hardman, chaplain of the Scotch church, the Rev. Dr. Duff, and the Rev. J. Wenger, of the Baptist Mission, undertook the burial service, reading the scriptures, and offering prayer in the English and native tongues. The death of Mr. Lacroix is a great loss to the Society and to the Mission, in which his eminently wise judgment, his warm affection, and his devoted zeal, have had great influence for many years. He leaves a widow and two daughters in Calcutta; his eldest daughter, Mrs. Mullens, being at present in England.

The Calcutta correspondent of The News of the Churches, under date of July 9th, writes

I spoke in my last letter of the dangerous illness of our much-loved and greatly honoured missionary, the Rev. A. F. Lacroix. It pleased Him, whose he was, and whom he served, to take him to his rest yesterday. He passed away without suffering, conscious almost to the last, the object of universal love and admiration, the very model of a faithful christian missionary. lie in this field of labour, some of them I have known many

reminded of a remarkable passage in the Several times during his illness I was sermon of Andrew Fuller, on one of the England ever saw-Samuel Pearce, of best and brightest examples of holiness Birmingham-and it has struck me as friend who has now been taken from us: singularly applicable to the beloved was, and to the honour of grace, and not "By the grace of God he was what he recorded. to the glory of a sinful worm, be it the subject of a depraved nature. Like all other men he was felt it, and he lamented it, and longed to depart that he might be free from it; but, He certainly, we have seldom seen a character, taking him altogether, whose excellencies were so many and so uniform, and whose imperfections were so few. We have have abounded but little in action; we seen men rise high in contemplation who have seen zeal mingled with bitterness, and candonr degenerate into indifference; experimental religion mixed with a large portion of enthusiasm, and what is called interests the heart of man; we have seen rational religion, void of everything that splendid talents tarnished with insuttercheerfulness with levity, and great attainable pride, seriousness with melancholy, ments in religion with uncharitable consciousness towards brethren of low degree; but we have not seen these things in It represents him who has gone, and a our brother Pearce." This is a true picture. character more attractive of affection, fession, more adapted to secure influence, more honourable to the christian propower of the gospel, cannot be conceived. more conspicuously illustrative of the