make other districts accessible, even when the rains have blocked up the roads; with the noble river Mahanuddy running close by, and a second large river, the Brahmini, only two or three days distant by canal-there are facilities for visiting hundreds of miles of country. One missionary ought to be set apart at Cuttack for this special and important work. We in the field, and many at home, know how thoroughly Mr. Miller devoted himself to this work, whenever opportunity presented. Unhappily, the secular cares of the Mission, especially in connection with the orphan villages, did much towards overtaxing his strength, and bringing on the disease from which he has suffered. I shall rejoice greatly if Mr. Miller is permitted to return to us shortly, and still more if he is able to devote himself, with fewer interruptions, to what I know he regards as his main work.

This year Mr. Bailey takes the place of the third missionary essential to Cuttack; but probably it will be thought that the first opportunity the exigencies of the Mission will permit, should be embraced by him, to take to England his motherless little ones.

The

I need not spend many lines on Piplee, because it has only had one missionary for many years, though the district is as large as an English county. I fear it is out of the question to hope for more here, and I apprehend no one would think of saying that Piplee should be given up as a station for a missionary, or at least until Pooree was substituted for it. two Orphanages at Piplee forbid us to entertain the thought for the present. Whilst speaking for myself, I begin to see more plainly the wisdom of fixing upon Piplee, rather than going at once to the capital. I should judge the climate of Pooree to be very enervating, whilst the presence of large numbers of pilgrims renders it, at times especially, unhealthy. But if Pooree is a vast fort, victualled by its vested interests for a very long siege, it is well commanded by Piplee. From that little outpost may be poured a deluge of shot and shell, in the form of tracts and gospels, and many times in the year may there be surprises and excursions into this city of the enemy, whilst ever and anon there are grand field-days, when the Piplee garrison is aided by the troops from Cuttack. Mr. Bailey leaves this important post, after long service, in the care of Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan. We can only pray for our friends, that the arms of their hands may be made strong by the mighty God of Jacob.

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Leaving the central stations, we come to Berhampore and Sumbulpore-the former at the extreme south of the province, and the latter on the extreme north-west. Much may be said both for and against having stations so far apart as Cuttack and Sumbulpore, but as our main object is to get the gospel proclaimed in as many parts of the province as possible, and as the distance between the said stations must probably be traversed most years, the advantages, in my opinion, more than counterbalance the serious objections generally felt against unduly extending our lines of operation. But if the claims of our work require the bolder policy, and we must leave our base for isolated posts, there, in feeble companies, to fight the common foe, prudence dictates that no time be lost in strengthening the positions taken up. Mr. and Mrs. Wood are about 120 miles from any missionary, and though we might feel no anxiety about Berhampore, provided we could always guarantee to the missionaries' health and strength, looking at past experience, I consider it would be a very wise step to strengthen our southern station, by placing a missionary at Russel Condah as speedily as possible. Russel Condah is a very promising field, as many know. Mr. Wood and I have both found much encouragement in preaching amongst the villages round about, and though a regular Mission to the Khonds in their hills might not be thought practicable, a missionary at Russel Condah would, of necessity, be brought into contact with many of these people, a very large proportion of whom have learned to speak and read Oriya. So soon as a little Khond was picked up, there might, possibly, be an annual tour into the hills, choosing the best time for the journey— this would be far less hazardous and, therefore, far less expensive than a regular hill Mission; for I am told that Government servants, who only spend a few months of the year in the hills, can seldom stand more than five years without furlough. The Mission needs an outpost at Russel Condah, to strengthen Berhampore, and if we had a number of men, another could be placed, with advantage, between Berhampore and Cuttack; but the communication between these two stations being exceptionally good, in view of the more pressing claims of other parts of the province, it is useless to suggest this at present.

As for Sumbulpore, I am quite satisfied that, with a vast extent of unexplored country around and beyond us, and considering we are some 200 miles from

Gungadhor lives at Indore. He was born a brahmin of the highest order, in the village of Bhilwara, near Hurdwar, North-West Provinces. At the age of fourteen he was married to a girl of his own caste whom he tenderly loved, and soon after obtained a situation as constable under government. After the birth of his only son his young wife died. This to his ardent temperament was a severe blow, and gave a new direction to his after life.

He at once gave up the world, and became a wandering devotee, or "fakeer." In this calling his great energy of mind and body found ample scope, and he determined to reach the highest position in this order of religious teachers which his birth entitled him to hold. He wished to be Swami; which means the highest, or deity.

But what a strange education he had to go through before he could be called Swami.

1st. He had to abstain from eating salt for four months. This at first sight may appear a small matter; but if we remember how neccessary salt is for our health, you will see that it was a privation.

2nd. He had to be swung through smoke. This is done by first kindling a fire of manure from the sacred bull; then the devotee is hung up by the feet, and swung over the fire so close that each time his head brushes the flames. This is continued until the fire goes out.

3rd. He had to be concealed in the earth for six months. This is done by making a hole into which the devotee is put, and all is covered up but a small air-hole. Here in this living grave he is supposed to spend his time in reflection, not seeing the sun or the face of human kind. At the dead hour of night he comes out like a frog from the earth to eat the food which is religiously placed for his use.

4th. He had to hold communion with the river goddess Gunga. This was done by standing up to the waist in the river each night from twelve to four in the morning, and to be continued for six months. This performance served the double purpose of washing away his sins, and imitating Brahm in his wakefulness.

5th. He had to sit in the presence of the dead. This also was practised on the banks of the Ganges during the night, and for one whole year.

There were other minor acts of selfmortification, such as painting the body with the ashes of the dead, remaining silent for a length of time, &c.

Our friend Gungadhor went through all these painful performances, and at last received the much-desired position

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and name of Swami. After receiving the title he wandered about perpetually, never remaining more than three days in one place. He did not enter a village, but took up a position under a tree near by. He carried neither purse nor scrip. He literally abandoned the world, friends, money, yea, all earthly attachments. He asked for nothing, but no one dared deny him anything, for all believed him to be a god. His favourite maxim was, Water, to be pure, must flow.

As he wandered about, he heard the gospel preached by missionaries; but, as he said, "His heart paid no attention to it;" but about a year ago, a native Christian gave him a New Testament, and he read it—yes, he read it almost day and night for eight months. And what was the result? He became fully convinced of the truth of Christ's claims and the efficacy of prayer. Then he sought to be instructed more fully by our friends at Indore; which they gladly did.

Night after night the missionary sat with him, and the more he saw of Gungadhor the more he felt he was taught of God. His faith in God's Word was so great, and his desire to tell to others of this wonderful salvation he had found was most interesting. Several times previous to his baptism he accompanied the missionary to the villages near Indore, and talked to the people of Jesus Christ the only Saviour. The villagers listened to him most attentively, for he was Swami, or god, to them. On approaching a village one morning at early dawn, he said to the missionary: "Sahib, if all this be true in the Word, then we ought to go to these people weeping. They should come out and ask us why we weep; and then we should tell them of their sins, and God's salvation." Frequently he said, "I have been a great sinner: I took away the glory of God, allowing the people all these years to worship me as God. No one could commit a greater sin than that."

He was baptized with two others on the 2nd of last February.

He thus expressed his own feelings of the great change: "I came among you as a beast from the jungle; but now 1 am a man, and happy." He is full of work for God, and happy in his work. The editor of the Indian Antiquary, after hearing his address to a company of brahmins who had come to visit us, remarked: "That man, with the divine blessing, may do more for his fellowcountrymen than any ten European missionaries. He speaks with a power and from an eminence among Hindoo people that they can never reach."