city of Amsterdam, in Holland, I was very much interested in a visit we made to a place there famous for polishing diamonds. We saw the men as they were engaged in this work. When a diamond is first found it has a rough, dark outside, and looks just like a common pebble. The outside must be ground off and the diamond be polished before it is fit for use. It takes a long time to do this, and it is very hard work. The diamond has to be fixed very firmly in the end of a piece of hard wood or metal. Then it is held close to the surface of a large metal wheel which is kept going round. Fine diamond dust is put on this wheel, because nothing else is hard enough to polish the diamond. And this work is kept on for days, and weeks, and months, and sometimes for several years, before it is finished. And if a diamond is intended to be used in the crown of a king, then longer time and greater pains are spent upon it, so as to make it look as brilliant and beautiful as can be. Now, Jesus calls His people His jewels. He intends them to shine like jewels in the crown He will wear in heaven. To fit them for this they must be polished like the diamond. And God makes use of the troubles He sends on His people in this world to polish His jewels. And when we get to heaven, and see how beautiful they look, we shall see that it was indeed good for them that they were troubled. It has fitted them for greater happiness there.-R. Newton, D.D. WHEN an oak, or ny noble and useful tree, is uprooted, his removal creates a blank. For years after, when you look to the place which once knew him, you see that something is missing. The branches of adjacent trees have not supplied the void. They still hesitate to supply the place formerly filled by their powerful neighbour, and there is still a deep chasm in the grounda ragged pit-which shows how far his giant roots once spread. But when a leafless pole, a wooden pin, is picked up, it comes easy and clean away. There is no rending of the turf, no marring of the landscape, no vacuity created, no regret. It leaves no memento, and is never missed. Brethren, which are you? Are you cedars planted in the house of the Lord, casting a cool and grateful shadow around you? Are you palm-trees, fat and flourishing, yielding bounteous fruit, and making all who know you bless you? Are you so useful, that were you once away it would not be easy to fill your place again, but people, as they pointed to the void in the plantation, to the pit in the ground, would say, "It was here that that old palmtree diffused his familiar shadow, and showed his mellow clusters"? Or are you a peg, a pin, a rootless, branchless, fruitless thing, that may be pulled up any day, and no one ever care to ask what has become of it? What are you doing? What are you contributing to the world's happiness, or the Church's glory? What is your business?-Dr. Hamilton. THE FAMILY LIBRARY. ONE of the books of the season-we believe of much more than the season-is certainly, The Life of Jesus, the Christ, by Henry Ward Beecher.* This is, indeed, only the first instalment of a work which Mr. Beecher hopes to complete before long; but there is enough in this volume to make us sure that we shall have, when the work is complete, a work of remarkable interest and value. The author does not *T. Nelson and Sons. deal controversially with objections and criticisms, which in this century have been so rife: evidently, however, he has studied them all : and the result is the wonderfully interesting and realistic narrative of which this volume is a part. Of course, there are some things in this volume with which we do not agree that is a thing inevitable in the productions of so original and independent a thinker and expositor: but the book is one which, now that we have got it, we would not willingly part with, and which, by all ministers and students, and by all who wish to study the Grand Life intelligently, will be found a mine of treasure in which they will find a rich reward for their toil. Silver Spray, and other Sketches from Modern Church Life,* is a reproduction, in a very taking form, of stories that have appeared in our own pages; and that have been perused with interest, as we have reason to know, by many thousands of readers. We feel thankful, as we turn over the volume, that we have been permitted to send abroad so large an amount of salutary instruction, conveyed in so pleasing a form. Would that all our churches would receive the lessons that these sketches teach! We trust that in the more permanent shape which is now given to them, they may have an even larger number of readers than they have already found. * Labourers together with God, by the Rev. Gordon Calthrop, M.A., is a book of encouragement, counsel, and help, for Sunday-school teachers. The book is a very valuable one. No Sunday-school teacher could read it without profit. The same may be said for The Hive,* volume the fourth, which is a storehouse of material for working Sunday-school teachers. * Some special notice ought to be taken of The Biblical Museum,* vol. i., Matthew and Mark, by James Comper Gray. This work is described as "A Collection of Notes, explanatory, homiletic, and illustrative, on the Holy Scriptures, especially designed for the use of ministers, Bible students, and Sunday-school teachers." This book is a very valuable one, and is evidently the result of careful and conscientious labour. It contains-(1), Notes Explanatory, in whichlaying many competent authorities under contribution-both the letter and the spirit of the sacred text have a very brief but careful elucidation; (2), Notes Homiletic, in which are suggested the subjects of sermons for the preacher, and of lessons for the teacher; (3), Notes Illustrative, containing anecdotes and illustrative quotations; (4), Notes Marginal, including chronological, Biblical, analytical, and literary notes. It will be seen thus that the plan is as complete, as its execution is thorough. The book cannot but have the wide circulation that it deserves. One book for younger readers-Old Merry's Annual+-what shall we say of it? That it is better than ever. "Old Merry" seems to grow younger as the years go by. We know nothing better for boys--more interesting nor more healthy. All boys who read it are sure to be happier, and ought to be better too. OUR MISSIONS. WE feel certain that our readers will be deeply interested this month in the following facts relating to the Baptist mission work in Burmah. It is true this work has not been done by our own Missionary Society, but we are interested in it nevertheless, as having been done by our sister denomination across the Atlantic. Although comparatively few years have passed away since the work of evangelization was begun among the Burmans, the success realized has been marvellous, and such as to prompt us all to the most devout gratitude to God. The following figures will speak for themselves: There are in Burmah twenty-two districts, in which evangelistic work has been done by our American brethren. Of these, nine are among the Karens, the rest among the Burmans, and include two or three English settlements. In these districts there are four hundred and sixteen Churches, with nineteen thousand eight hundred and forty-six members. The work of the ministry in these Churches is performed by seventy-eight ordained native preachers, and three hundred and ninetythree unordained, with here and there an American missionary to aid in the work. During the last year one thousand and eighty-eight persons were baptized in the various Churches. There are schools connected with almost all the Churches, and these provide instruction for six thousand one hundred and sixtyseven children, and at a cost of thirteen thousand nine hundred and eighty-three rupees. Besides this large sum, the Churches have raised twenty seven thousand nine hundred and twenty-seven rupees for religious purposes. Altogether the work is very marvellous, and calls forth our most devout gratitude to God. To Him be the glory! Some few years ago these various Churches united themselves in what is now called the "Burmah Baptist Missionary Convention." This was in 1865, and we feel sure our readers will be interested in seeing the preamble and constitution of this Convention. The preamble is as follows:-" We, Christians of various races, residing in British Burmah, and now assembled in Rangoon, in gratitude to our Redeemer for His saving grace, in obedience to His last commission to His Church 'to preach the gospel to every creature,' and with unfeigned love and compassion to our fellow-men yet ignorant of that gospel, in humble reliance upon the promised grace of Christ, form ourselves into a Society for the more effectual advancement of His kingdom in the land, and for this purpose we unite in adopting the following Constitution : Art. I. This Society shall be called the Burmah Baptist Missionary Con vention. Art. II. All missionaries, or. dained ministers, and authorized preachers of the gospel, who are in the fellowship of our denomination, and who agree to this Constitution, shall be members of the Convention, together with such lay delegates as may be appointed by the Churches in the ratio of one delegate to each Church, with an additional delegate for every fifty members. Art. III. The object of this Convention shall be to strengthen and unite the Baptist Churches of Burmah in mutual love and the Christian faith, and to extend the work of evangelization to all regions within our reach which do not receive the gospel from other agencies. Art. IV. The attainment of this twofold object shall be sought by the personal intercourse of Christians representing our Churches; by the collection of reports and statis tics setting forth the state of the Churches and the result of Christian labour in Burmah; by united representations to Christians in this and other lands of the religious and educational wants of various races and sections of Burmah; and lastly, by calling forth and combining the prayers and efforts of all the native Christians in the common object of saving their brethren, the heathen, by the gospel, from sin and everlasting death. Art. V. This Convention shall assume no ecclesiastical or disciplinary powers. Art. VI. Moneys which may at any time be confided to the disposal of this Convention shall be faithfully applied in accordance with the objects of the Convention and the expressed wishes of the donors. Art. VII. (This relates to the officers of the Convention, times of meeting, etc.) Art. VIII. This Convention shall meet annually at such time and place as it shall appoint, for prayer, conference, and preaching, with special reference to the object of the Convention, and for the transaction of its business. At these meetings the committee of management shall present a faithful report of their doings during the previous year, and officers shall be elected, and all needful arrangements made for the year ensuing. Art. IX. The recording secretaries shall keep a faithful record of the proceedings at the annual meetings. The corresponding secretary shall record the doings of the committee at their meetings, conduct the correspondence of the committee, and preserve copies of important letters. 3. Whereas, many of the reports from our missionaries show a great lack of intelligence on the part of the Church members, and whereas, the Churches, on that account, are exposed to the evil influence of superstition and false ideas of conversion, Church-membership, and discipline: Resolved, 1. That all pastors and preachers connected with this Convention use their best endeavours to visit every Church and every house in their field, and give plain and thorough religious instruction to their people; and that they introduce such helps to discipline and correctness of walk as they think the Scriptures require. 2. As a means of remedying the evils referred to, we recommend that all make earnest and thorough efforts to circulate among the people The Burman Messenger, The Karen Morning Star, and The Karen Quarterly, as well as the Scriptures and tracts in the Burmese and Karen languages." Do not such facts speak eloquently and convincingly of the power and progress of the gospel among these people? And is there not something that we at home may learn from these Karens, though so re cently idolators? We make no NEWS OF THE MANY of our readers will be glad to hear that the lady who gave twenty thousand pounds to found the Stockwell Orphanage for boys, has offered Mr. Spurgeon a like sum with which to found an Orphanage for girls. The committee of the Baptist Missionary Society have recommended the fifteenth of this month (Monday), to be set apart as a day for especial and united prayer on behalf of missions; and they further invite the pastors of the Churches to direct the attention of their congregations to the special claims and needs of these missions, on Sunday, the fourteenth of this month. The annual meetings of the Baptist Association of Ireland were held in the church at Great Victoria Street, Belfast, on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 14 and 15. The Rev. R. M. Henry, of Belfast, was re-elected president, and the Rev. D. E. Evans, of Dublin, was elected secretary. Two papers were read: one by Rev. W. Hamilton, of Carrickfergus, on "Living and Preaching in the Spirit;" the other by the Rev. W. S. Eccles, of Grange, on drances to the Spread of Baptist Principles in Ireland." The education question called forth much discussion, and resolutions in support of secular instruction were passed unanimously. 66 Hin The memorial-stone of a new chapel has been laid at Wisbeach, for the ministry of the Rev. W. E. Winks. The stone was laid by R. Wherry, Esq., Mayor of Wisbeach. CHURCHES. -A new chapel has been opened at Dalston Junction, for the ministry of the Rev. A. A. Bird.-A neat and commodious school-room has been erected at Stacksteads by the friends connected with Zion Chapel, Bacup, under the pastorate of the Rev. D. Davis. The cost has exceeded a thousand pounds.-The foundationstone of a new chapel has been laid in Devonport Street, Commercial Road, London, for the ministry of the Rev. G. Jennings.-The chapel at Maryport, Cumberland (under the ministry of the Rev. D. Kirkbride), has been re-opened, after enlargement and repair.--The chapel at Poole, Dorset (under the ministry of the Rev. J. H. Osborne), has been re-opened, after considerable alteration and repair.-A beginning has been made in the enlargement and improvement of the chapel at Barnsley, under the ministry of the Rev. H. Watts. The extension-stone was laid by the venerable Mr. John Wood, who twenty-three years since laid the foundation-stone.-The memorial-stone of a new chapel has been laid at Tonbridge, for the ministry of the Rev. J. Turner. The Rev. J. W. Butcher, late of Regent's Park College, has been recognised as the pastor of the Church at Blenheim Chapel, Leeds. -The Rev. T. J. Bristow, late of Woodford, has been recognised as the pastor of the Church at Stanwick, Northamptonshire.-The Rev. W. R. Skerry has been recognised as the pastor of the Church at Rye Hill, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.The Rev. S. H. Firks, late of Regent's Park College, has been |