about." When "set down" he does not "sit down," but at once betakes himself to a diligent survey of his sphere. He goes "by them," taking a side view. He goes "round about," taking an all-round view. Like Nehemiah viewing the walls of Jerusalem: "Then I went up in the night, and viewed the wall . . . and turned back . . . and so returned." Or like the godly McCheyne, who, in the winter evenings, was wont to walk the streets of Dundee in the vicinity of his people's dwellings, in order to hear from how many of their homes issued the sweet sound of family devotion. The pastor must survey his people as carefully as he would survey his text. Rightly to preach from the one to the other, he must by" both "round about." pass R. HERRIES. The Anglo-Indian Evangelisation Society. UR countrymen in India now number about two hundred and fifty thousand, amid the vast native population of two hundred and fiftyfour MILLIONS. Not less than one hundred thousand of them are scattered over the immense region in groups, families, and individuals, at considerable distances from the principal cities and towns, and very widely from each other, on the railways and plantations, factories and mines. These are, in very numerous instances, quite destitute of any ministrations of the gospel, and a great many even of those who have gone out from among us with some knowledge and love of the truth have sadly lost a taste for spiritual things, and have fallen away into worldliness, frivolity, and much ungodliness. In this state, while bearing the name Christian, their influence painfully hinders all the efforts of the missionaries sent forth by the churches for the conversion of the natives. The great need of these, our "brethren, or kinsmen according to the flesh," for their own sake, and for the sake of those whom they so greatly influence, can be supplied only by ITINERANT EVANGELISATION. The "ANGLO-INDIAN EVANGELISATION SOCIETY" has been endeavouring to provide this. It is a perfectly undenominational society in constitution and aim. It seeks only to win and restore to true discipleship of the Lord Jesus. Its agents are chosen because of ascertained fitness for the work, irrespective of the denomination with which they may be connected. They do not attempt to form any churches, but they urge all who are converted or restored by their instrumentality to join, at the earliest opportunity, any portion of the universal church with which they may find themselves in sympathy. These agents are over the whole of India, occupying districts of very great extent, travelling day by day over lines of railway, and among plantations extending to six hundred, nine hundred, and fifteen hundred miles; visiting from house to house, and holding services periodically at some points, and more or less frequently at others, teaching and preaching Christ in season and out of season. Their labours have been greatly blessed, directly and indirectly. One says:-"There is a genuine work of grace going on in many souls, evidences of which, in some cases, have met me most unexpectedly. I could tell of drinking having been completely abandoned, and Christ accepted; of immorality long indulged being persistently renounced; of the Bible long hid away unused being brought into daily requisition; of prayer discontinued for months being resumed. . . . . Thus God is doing his work in many hearts and in many ways; and Christians have abundant reason for exultant thankfulness." One indefatigable agent in Western India says, in his report for August last—" It would appear that the more work one accomplishes the more there is remaining to be done. Day after day throughout this month I have attempted to do a little, so that at its close I might have the satisfaction of knowing that almost every place along the district (of nine hundred miles) had received a small share of my attention; but on looking back, it would seem that the little done had only revealed the want and necessity for more earnest effort in all our stations. "Two thousand and seventy miles have been travelled over, besides the actual work at the different centres and out stations" (visiting from house to house, &c.). "Additional fortnightly services have been begun at Bulsar and Broach, and, with the help of a Christian friend, I hope to be able to keep them up. Baroda, Ahmedabad, Saburmati, and Abu Road have services mostly every week, while Ajnier and a few small stations are visited periodically. With the object of binding together in mind and heart some of our friends and helpers in evangelistic work, and of encouraging more earnest study of God's word, I began, a few weeks ago, The Believer's Corresponding Bible Union," which I hope will become ere long an important agency in helping on our general work. . . . Much interest has already been manifested in it. . . . It holds each member in communication with the other, and with the whole Union. Besides this, there is continually an interchanging of thought between the different sections of the Union." Another devoted agent in Southern India says, "During these last twenty-five days I have travelled 1,500 miles,-about 150 of them in bullock-carts, boats, &c.; I have spent four nights in trains, which means very little sleep for me. I have visited sixteen stations, delivered nearly forty sermons and addresses, and visited much from house to house. There is a great field for evangelistic labour in Southern India, especially among the Eurasians, or half-castes, who very gladly come together to hear the gospel, even on week-nights, but are unable to provide ministration for themselves, being very poor, and mostly receiving but miserable pittances, scarce enough to keep body and soul together. The Society's Superintendent in India says, in reference to pathetic applications for help in two large districts, "The time may not have come, the men and the means may not be ready yet; but the cry of these districts and of many others is, 'Come over and help us; and I feel deeply impressed with the conviction that the call from the Throne to the Society just now is not to retreat but to go forward. May you and I have grace to echo and re-echo that call till the heart of the churches be moved, till hands be open to give, and men prepared for the work be heard one after another saying, Here am I, send me.'" The General Secretary and Treasurer of the Society is the Rev. Peter Bannatyne, 7, Adam Street, Strand, London, and 9, London Street, Edinburgh. C. H. SPURGEON'S WORKS IN SUPERIOR BINDINGS FOR CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR'S PRESENTS. EVENING BY EVENING. Persian Morocco, red-gilt ... 7s. 6d. THE TREASURY OF DAVID. EXPOSITION OF THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 6 Vols. £4 4 0 550 THE SPURGEON BIRTHDAY BOOK AND AUTOGRAPHIC Register. ... 5s. Od. 58. Od. 10s. 6d. METROPOLITAN TABER NACLE PULPIT. Yearly Volume of Mr. Spurgeon's Sermons. THE SPURGEON JUBILEE ALBUM, containing a brief Sketch of Mr. Spurgeon's Life and of his numerous Institutions, with Photographic Views, also Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Spurgeon. Royal Quarto, handsomely bound, gilt edges, price 10s. 6d. PASSMORE & ALABASTER, PATERNOSTER Buildings. SPURGEON'S WORKS FOR MINISTERS & STUDENTS. SPURGEON'S SERMONS Are published every Thursday, price 1d. Monthly parts, containing Three Months, IS. 11d., Six Months, 3s. 9d., Twelve Months, 7s. 6d. THE TREASURY OF DAVID: Containing an Original Exposition of the Book of Psalms; a Collection of Illustrative Extracts from the whole range of Literature; a Series of Homiletical Hints upon almost every verse; and List of Writers upon each Psalm. Vols. I. to VI., containing Psalms I. to CXXIV., 8s. each. FARM SERMONS. NEW ILLUSTRATED VOLUME. Crown 8vo., 328 pages. FEATHERS FOR ARROWS; OR, ILLUSTRATIONS FOR PREACHERS AND TEACHERS. ILLUSTRATIONS AND MEDITATIONS; OR, Flowers from a Puritan's Garden, Dispensed and Distilled. Price 2s. 6d. LECTURES TO MY STUDENTS: COMMENTING AND COMMENTARIES: "THE HOME EVANGEL. Fo PRICE ONE PENNY. A MONTHLY ILLUSTRATED PAPER, EDITED BY W. Y. FULLERTON. 99 OR Five Years "THE POSTMAN" has been published with increasing success, until it has "THE POSTMAN" "THE HOME EVANGEL" This latter title well describes what has been, and shall continue to be, our aim: to carry the Evangel Appealing to the home-feeling, we hope to raise many by the Gospel to their true home in God; and by that same Evangel to make their earthly homes all the better and brighter. We shall continue to be HOMELY in style: speaking to the common people, and yet excluding anything JANUARY, 1885, commences a New Volume. Published by PASSMORE & ALABASTER, Paternoster Buildings, London. |