The Serviles, or the aristocratic and sacerdotal party were in power, and, as usual, had banished, imprisoned, or ordered to be shot, all the liberal leaders they could take. The latter had enjoyed a short ascendency that time twelve months.

Indian hordes, in insurrection, had repeatedly threatened to sack the capital, and they had at length forced an entry, and pillaged a part of it, but not the part where she resides. War was declared between the states of Guatemala and Salvador. In the latter state a liberal government exists, and most of my friends and active supporters,several of whom are mentioned by name as great sufferers,―have taken refuge there in

their exile.

This gloomy state of the political horizon is not without its bright spot. A treaty of amity and commerce has been concluded between the state of Guatemala and Great Britain, one clause of which stipulates that British residents shall be allowed to open a place of worship in Guatemala. The Lord's gracious support granted to a lonely stranger under accumulated trials, calls for the most devout gratitude on my part, as it also forms a prominent theme in her letter. The broad ocean and the rugged mountains of Central America are no barrier to our united aspirations, when directed heavenwards. She solicits the prayers of God's people on her behalf, having now learned really to value them. And I feel solaced in the assurance that they will, in many cases, be presented, heard, and answered at the mercy seat. It has now become my full persuasion that our mutual correspondence has long been intercepted by parties in Central America.

Will you kindly acknowledge, as received by me for the Honduras mission,

house at Belize, by architects in Edinburgh and Glasgow; and a remittance of £150., being part of the contributions made by friends to the Honduras mission, in England and Scotland.

Thanking you for the copy of the Christian Advocate, which continues to be sent, I am, my dear brother, yours in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ,

FREDERICK Crowe.

The following is an extract from the letter from Mr. Henderson to Mr. Crowe, alluded to in the preeeding, as further developing Mr. H.'s plan of comducting missions.-ED.

predilections, and supersede the society by "IF Baptists would forego their cherished a more scriptural mode of conducting misit be-how successful might we not expect sions to the heathen, how honourable would them hereafter to be. Baptist missions to the West Indies, taken up by churches in different parts of England, say one to Antigua, Striving together, yet in separate and indeone to St. Vincent, one to Barbadoes, &c. pendent action, and receiving every fortnight intelligence from their missionaries. How enlivening would such a state of things be. Look at poor crippled Jamaica, after all that has been done for her, without a single neighbouring isle to which she has sent a missionary, (so far as I know of.) Like John in prison, he must be taken into the wilderness to see aright the position of the church, be discerned the true character of modern so I find out of connexion better than in can missions. Do brother, in your visiting of the churches, press upon their attention that no healthy and successful action can be looked for in missions, until they return to the New Testament model. The movements and funds entirely under the control of the church."

PROPOSED PRIZE ESSAY ON
BAPTISM.

[The following article has been sent us for insertion in the Christian Advocate. As to the practicability of the plan suggested, we express no opinion.-ED.] WHILE many volumes have been published, and many lectures delivered, on the subject of baptism, without producing results at all proportionate to the time, labour, and expense incurred, it is hereby humbly suggested that a better mode of moving mankind to think for themselves on this subject, would be through Prize Essays.

But in order that this proposition should commend itself to all, it would be necessary to obtain the co-operation of a few of the advocates of both infant and adult baptism; and the judges to consist of an equal number of each of the two sections; and the essay considered the best in favour of infant, and likewise the one considered the best in favour of

adult baptism, to be published, the profits to be applied to missionary purposes, each party to judge of the merits of the essays which supports their own views of the subject.

And that there should be two sets of prizes, viz., No. 1 to consist of one or more prizes, open to competition to the working classes only; and the other, or No. 2. consisting of one or more prizes, open to competition by all classes; the essayist being restricted to the consideration of the proper subjects for baptizm; and the quantity of letter press also restricted.

The subscribers to appoint a committee from their own number to carry out these suggestions, or others that may be considered more appropriate.

Were a few individuals uniting and subscribing for a fund for prizes to be open to competition by all classes, it is anticipated that both from the numbers who might be induced to write on this subject, and the greater number who may be supposed to read the published essays, a stimulus would be given to the consideration of this subject, which every other means hitherto employed have failed to produce, and which would be calculated to enable Christians to give a more intelligent reason for the views they entertain of baptism than is generally given at present; and it is supposed that the profits arising from the sale of the published essays would very considerably aid the cause of missions. J. R.

BELIZE, HONDURAS.

MR. Henderson, in a letter dated 11th Dec. 1849, just after he had read the reply to "Belize," entitled "Honduras," says,"What a document, dear brother, is 'Honduras,' to lodge in the Belize Baptist Library. It is abundantly to my satisfaction. I still find myself in possession of further facts, that would have given lustre to the truth, but fear the work is already larger than will be for its faithful perusal. Of the impression respecting the Missionary Society, the deliberate conviction I have come to is, that the institution should cease and determine. It is of no use arguing that there are good things in it. So there are in the cabinet of Nicholas, and so there are in the conference of Wesley, but would you on that account advocate even reform. The thing stands on no denominational foundation. Sixty years back it had no existence; it is of itself a perfect anomaly. As Baptists we cannot fulfil our trust from Christ without missions, but by this monopoly of missions by the society, they are secularized and perverted. Does not the history of the society in both East and West Indies show this. Besides, when the society was originally constituted, did the men most responsible for its character speak of it as embracing their views of the mode of conducting missions ? I believe not; only as a substitute until the church should wake up to the true mode of conducting them. As Baptists we were honoured to lead in what was at the time better than leaving heathen nations in their ignorance. How mighty the impulse, let the present state of things say. It may be given to us again to lead. Vast progress, during the last fifty years, has been made in preparing the minds of Christians to act on

principles wholly new testamental. The time has come for the church to shoulder the work. In this matter the New Testament plainly teaches that missions shall spring from, and be directed by church or churches; and I maintain that we have lost much in our success abroad from overlooking this. Instead of Christians casting their contributions into the form of a general fund, to be managed by a worldly business-like majority, and then waiting for their 'Report,' published with its dobtful facts, and conjectures concerning success, let one church, or if it be too small, let two or even three resolve upon a mission to a continent, a country, or an island, and sending such a brother or brethren as the Lord shall furnish from amongst themselves, follow him with prayer, and correspond directly with him in his chosen field of labour. Would not the Lord provide men and money, and bless the proceeding. Unquestionably he would. He has done so. Let these be multiplied in the West and in the East, emulating each other in holy efforts, and soon the churches at home would come out in force- the force of faith and love for missions. On the present system they never will, I am persuaded, but soured and disappointed, will contribute reluctantly and parsimoniously. I long to see this state of things. Only let Trinity Street Baptist Church first pray over and consider well the subject, and see if a brother does not say quickly,' Here am I, send me.' Let it be for example to Barbadoes he is to be sent, for notwithstanding all the talk of West Indian Missions, a tenth of the places have not yet been supplied. Let the brother start, carrying with him a full understanding of his position with the church, both of them strong in the faith of a divine work. His passage, his outfit, his location in the island, would all

drop into order, and soon we should see how the Lord would work. Let him be cautioned to preach the gospel to the poor,- to begin with them I mean. Among the mistakes of the Society, the rich have far too much shared in their care. So far as I have seen, the Society's Missionaries have been directed more to the European,-the class of masters, than to the bulk of the population. Let him be instructed to find employment, if possible, during the week, at least for a time, until a congregation on the spot relieve him from labour.

"Begin, begin! We are in danger, even in the West Indies, of sinking. Why? The key note has been struck too high. High aspirations of zeal, instead of the holy humble actings of a chastened faith. But remember, a word is enough to the wise. I ought not to dwell so long on what abler pens will deal with. In short, let churches have their own missions, and control their own funds."

ITALY.

DURING the existence of the constitutional

government of Tuscany, an impression of Martini's translation of the New Testament was issued from the Florentine press. This translation is a Roman Catholic version. The present impression was brought out under the care of Captain Pakenham, a British naval officer, who has resided at Florence several years for the benefit of his health.

After the counter-revolution he waited on the commission of government, and informed them his object was to provide a counteragent to the anarchial works daily making their appearance. Signor Capponi assured him that the commission of government would throw no difficulty in the way. Yet the edition was seized and sequestered. He appealed to the law, and the judgment was given against him, of confiscation of the books and a fine of fifty scudi. On the same day

he was called before a delegate of police, and accused of attempting to proselytise. He was asked to sign a paper, which he refused to do. If he persisted in his refusal he must leave in ten days.

About a month previous he had been asked to visit a young sick Italian in a hospital. He conversed with him for some time, and left a book, which had been printed at Florence, with the approbation of the censor. This is the attempting to proselytise referred to.

On the 1st of February he was ordered to quit in twenty-four hours. Along with the British embassy he had an interview with the Florentine minister of the interior. The ultimatum was- that he was to leave in seven days, or government would compel him. He was accordingly obliged to comply.

DR. ACHILLI.

As we have frequently of late inserted notices concerning Dr. Achilli, it may gratify the curiosity of some to know what the Catholics say of him. We copy the following from the Tablet of March 16th. It is written by Charles Waterton, the South American traveller.

"The story of this luckless monk is soon unfolded. In early life he entered a Dominican convent, where had he faithfully complied with the graces which were showered down upon him from on high, he might now have been a second Bede. But pride laid hold of him. By that sin fell the angels. Things then went worse and worse. Pride exposed him to disobedience; disobedience, censure; censure to insubordination; and insubordination to dismissal. Expelled from one place, and ill received at another-mortified to-day, and seeing nothing consoling for to-morrow-he makes for England, and appears at Exeter Hall, the very place of all others, for fallen priests and monks with broken vows. There, for a while, he will have his dance with knaves, whilst his dupes will pay the piper. Methinks I hear some shrewd and knowing man, well versed in all the sinuosities of a corrupt heart, repeating to himself that apposite remark of Ireland's witty Dean in former days, ' When the Pope weeds his garden, I wish he would not throw his rubbish over our wall.'"

It may naturally be inferred from the above, that the most serious charge which can be brought against him is,-insubordination to the Catholic church. For this he had to go to the Inquisition.

Mr. Editor,-I have sent you the above from the Tablet, but I have a doubt about the propriety of putting such newspaper-like language in a religious magazine.

If intelligence is given at all, it is best to give [We have no doubt at all upon the subject. it in the words of the original writer. We are of opinion that the above article would lose much of its pithiness if the language of Mr. Waterton had been at all altered. We think if a little of the raciness which is sometimes found in newspaper articles, were infused into magazines, it would be a decided improvement. Tameness and insipidity have no charms for us.-ED.]

Obituary.

DIED on the 17th April, Mrs. Pirie, wife of Mr. Alex. Pirie, Elder of the Scotch Baptist Church, Dundee.