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SAR up in the northwest of India, among the Himalaya mountains, lies the territory of Chumba. It is bounded by the States of Cashmere, Lahoul, and Kangra. There is great variety of scenery and climate in the region; and great diversity in the flowers and fruits it produces. The people, who amount to about 120,000, are very poor, and, till lately, were much oppressed by their priests, or the officers of their ruler. The present Rajah, an amiable young man, really anxious for the improvement of his subjects, sought and obtained the services of a British officer as superintendent. Under the able management of Major Reid and his successor, Mr Macnab, order, law, and prosperity have in a great measure been introduced in to the country.

CHUMBA.

The capital, Chumba, is an ancient town, pleasantly situated on the banks of the noisy Ravee. It is the residence of the Rajah, and contains numerous temples, dedicated to the goddess Deoi or Kalee, richly endowed, and swarming with ignorant and corrupt priests. The houses are mostly wretched abodes, covered with shingles. The inhabit

ants are, in caste and character, similar to the dwellers in the plains; but they are more simple, frank, and independent in their manners, than the people of the great cities of India, though deeply degraded by vile immorality.

THE CHUMBA MISSIONARY.

The Rev. Mr Ferguson, a minister of our Church, a man of singular zeal and devotedness to the cause of Christ, has commenced a mission in this secluded and interesting spot. When he first thought of founding the mission, Major Reid rather discouraged the project-wishing at least that the attempt might be deferred. It seemed desirable that many needful reforms should be effected in the government and the condition of the people, before an undertaking which might well alarm both courtiers and Brahmins, should be begun. Notwithstanding this discouragement, the missionary, a little more than a year ago, went to see the Rajah, and met with a very kind reception. Quarters were assigned him in the old palace, ground and materials promised for the and school, and every facility building of a house, church, afforded for the promotion of the cause.

NOVEL MODE OF OPERATION.

The missionary has pub

sketch of the commencement of this new mission, from which we give a few extracts. "We arranged ourselves in a line," he says (two native catechists accompanied him), "each five or six paces apart; and after much prayer, and feeling that the Lord was with us of a truth, we set forth over the whole city, proclaiming in a loud voice as we went, first in English, then in Urdu, then in Hindú:Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, and good will towards men. The kingdom, the power, and the glory be the Lord's, for ever and ever. Amen. The second time at each halt they prayed aloud. The third time they went to the villages surrounding the city, and added the words of our Lord, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.-Mark xvi. 15, 16. Before private dwellings, in the bazaars, at the gate of the palace, these solemn truths were proclaimed:-Maharaj! The promises of God are to you and to your children, and to all that are afar off. God so loved the world as to give His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Dear brethren, these words are true. Repent ye, for the kingdom

RESULTS.

Crowds followed them; the Rajah bowed to them; and the children repeated their words. They next ventured inside the courts of the houses. "The noise we made at one place," says Mr Ferguson,

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prepared them to expect us at the next. By the end of November (within less than two months), there was probably not one person in the whole city and immediate neighbourhood who had not heard of the name, love, and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ." Later, much influence was obtained with the amiable young Rajah. He read the English Bible with them, declared it must be true; and is busy learning Urdú, that he may read it for himself.

Moreover, upwards of forty persons have already been baptized; and the prospects of success are most encouraging. Let it not be forgotten, however, that these disciples will require a long course of wise, patient, firm and kind teaching and training in order that they may become Christtians in reality, as well as in name. The good seed has been sown; but it will require much pastoral, or rather

paternal (for these converts are in truth babes as respects Christian truth and holiness) instruction, watchfulness, and guidance-otherwise there is great reason to fear that the seed will be snatched away, or that the tender blade will perish in the season of tribulation and persecution so certain to come, or that worldly cares or sensual pleasures will choke the plants.

Let us pray, often and fervently, that the devoted missionary may be guided and blessed in his noble work; and that the Chumba disciples may daily grow in all Christian grace and in the knowledge of God their Saviour.

THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.

Forty years ago, the American Board of Foreign Missions sent an embassy to the Sandwich Islands. Then the natives were described, too truly, as more false than the falsest scum of Europe. Their idols were not more hideous than their sacrifices; their destructive volcanoes were more merciful than themselves; they were degraded so low as to devour vermin and poisonous reptiles. The first missionaries are still alive, yet paganism is abolished; the islands are ruled by Christian laws under a Christian king; one-third of the adults are now members of Protestant churches; and upwards of

50,000 have professed faith in Christ. Dr Rufus Anderson, the Secretary of the Board, was deputed to visit the Island Church in 1863. Though wanting little of seventy years, he undertook the journey; and has recorded his impressions in an entertaining book. The past is already a tradition in Hawaii; an idol is not to be seen; and European customs have supplanted the rough barbarism of immemorial ages. The story of the chief who, on being rebuked by a missionary for visiting him in his naked way, went off, and quickly returned in triumph, clothed with a pair of silk stockings and a beaver hat, is as ludicrous to a native as to a European.

A seminary for

ministers is one of the features of the island; and science and languages are said to be most efficiently taught.

MISSIONARY ENCOURAGE

MENTS.

At a meeting lately held in London, the Rev. H. Venn, one of the secretaries of the Church Missionary Society, brought forward the subject of Foreign missions. He insisted upon the importance of training native teachers and preachers. As an interesting fact, he stated that the number of communicants in connexion with the Church Missionary Society Was 24,000, a threefold increase in the space of twenty