MANY useful hints have been addressed to professors on this subject, both from the pulpit and the press; but the argument which I wish to suggest, has been too much overlooked. In most dissenting congregations, the public moraing service commences with prayer, when a divine blessing on the various services of the day, without which all the labours of a minister are acknowledged to be ineffectual, is particularly sought. It is a lamentable matter of fact, however, that in many places of worship, very few are present while the introductory prayer is offered up; and those few are disturbed in their devotions by those who are dropping in, one after another in noisy succession, for the first quarter of an hour or more; and the minister's mind discomposed and grieved by such irreverent attendance: When so few attend to join in the prayer which seeks a blessing on the word and ordinances, and even those are interrupted by others, what blessing can be expected on the labours of a minister, who is even unfitted for his work by the carelessness of the people? The blessing which is not duly sought will not be given.What wonder is it that so many continue careless, when those of whom better things might be expected, even members of churches, set an example of late attendance before their own families and others! It is surely no diflicult inatter for the people, as well as the minister, to be punctual to the known time of the commencement of the worship. It only requires to be convinced of the importance of the duty, and the value of the privilege, the neglect of which produces so much loss. Due allowance should be made for unavoidable occasional circumstances which may prevent; but to be generally late, when necessity is not the cause, can admit of no excuse; and forms, in my opinion, one of the most serious evils in the churches of the present day. A general early attendance to implore a blessing on the word and ordinances of the day, would not only encourage and help a minister in his work, but would certainly be honoured with the divine approbation and blessing in answer to the united requests of the minister and the congregation. It is a constant maxim of God's administration, Them that honour me, I will honour.' When Peter preached to Cornelius and his friends, the Holy Ghost fell on ALL them who heard the word; and they of the cir.. cumcision were ASTONISHED, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. This was a blessed degree of success which accompanied the word; and let the reader notice, that the people who received this happy token of divine favour could say to Peter, Thou hast well done, that thou art come. Now, therefore, are we ALL here PRESENT before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.' Acts x.

H. N.

INDIA.

It will contribute, we earnestly hope, more than a little, to kindle the zeal of European Christians in the support and extension of Missionary efforts, to become more intimately acquainted with the horrors of Heathenisin than they formerly were; and it deserves notice, that far more exact information has lately been communicated to the religious world on this subject, since Christians have turned their attention to the Pagans. Many credible witnesses of the abominations of Heathenism have testified what they have personally seen of this kind; and among these Dr. Buchanan stands prominent. The public is much obliged to that gentleman for his Christian Researches; and we take the freedom of presenting to our readers, in addition to former quotations from his interesting performance, the following account of the ceremonies attending the great festival at Juggernaut :

Juggernaut, 18th of June.

I HAVE returned home from witnessing a scene which I shall never forget. At twelve o'clock of this day, being the great day of the feast, the Moloch of Hindoostan was brought out of his temple, amidst the acclamations of hundreds of thousands of his worshippers. When the idol was placed on his throne, a shout was raised by the multitude, such as I had never heard before. It continued equable for a few minutes, and then gradually died away. After a short interval of silence, a murmur was heard at a distance, all eyes were turned towards the place; and, behold, a grove advancing! A body of men, having green branches, or palins in their hands, approached with great celerity. The people opened a way for them; and when they had come up to the throne, they fell down before him that sat thereon, and worshipped; and the multitude again set forth a voice like the sound of great thunder:' but the voices I now heard were not those of melody or of joyful acclamation; for there is no harmony in the praise of Moloch's worshippers. Their num ber indeed brought to my mind the countless multitude of the Revelations; but their voices gave no tuneful Hosannah or Hallelujah; but ra ther a yell of approbation, united with a kind of hissing applause. — I was at a loss how to account for this latter noise, until I was directed to notice the women; who emitted a sound like that of whistling, with the lips circular, and the tongue vibrating, as if a serpent would speak by their organs, uttering buman sounds.

The throne of the idol was placed on a stupendous car or tower, about 60 feet in height, resting on wheels which indented the ground deeply, as they turned slowly under the ponderous machine. Attached to it were six cables, of the size and length of a ships cable, by which the people drew it along. Upon the tower were the priests and satellites of the idol, surrounding his throne. The idol is a block of wood, having a frightful visage, painted black, with a distended mouth of a bloody colour. His arms are of gold, and he is dressed in gorgeous apparel. The other two idols are of a white and yellow colour. Five elephants preceded the three towers, bearing towering flags, dressed in crimson caparisons, and having bells hanging to their caparisons, which sounded musically as they moved.

I went on in the procession, close by the tower of Moloch; which, as it was drawn with difficulty, grated on its many wheels harsh thunder +.

Two of the military gentlemen had mounted my elephant, that they might witness the spectacle, and had brought him close to the tower; but the moment it began to move, the animal, alarmed at the unusual noise, took fright, and ran off, through the crowd, till he was stopped by a wall. The natural fear of the elephant, lest he should injure human life, was remarkably exemplified on this' occasion. Though the crowd was very closely set, he endeavoured, in the mid t of his own terror, to throw the people off on both sides with his feet; and it was ་་མ、 & P

After a few minutes it stopped; and now the worship of the god began. A high priest mounted the car, in front of the idol, and pronounced his obscene stanzas in the ears of the people, who responded at intervals in the same strain. These songs,' said he, are the delight of the god. His car can only move when he is pleased with the song.' The car moved on a little way, and then stopped. A boy of about twelve years was then brought forth to attempt something yet more lascivious, if peradventure the god would move. The child perfected the praise' of his idol with such ardent expression and gesture, that the god was pleased, and the multitude emitting a sensual yell of delight, urged the car along. After a few minutes it stopped again. An aged minister of the idol then stood up; and, with a long rod in his hand, which he moved with indecent action, completed the variety of this disgusting exhibition. I felt a consciousness of doing wrong in witnessing it. I was also somewhat appalled at the magnitude and horror of the spectacle: I felt like a guilty person, on whom all eyes were fixed, and I was about to withdraw; but a scene of a different kind was now to be presented. The characteristics of Moloch's worship are obscenity and blood. We have seen the former. Now comes the blood.

After the tower had proceeded some way, a pilgrim announced that he was ready to offer himself a sacrifice to the idol. He laid himself down in the road before the tower, as it was moving along, lying on his face, with his arms stretched forwards. The multitude passed round him, leaving the space clear, and he was crushed to death by the wheels of the tower. A shout of joy was raised to the god. He is said to smile when the libation of the blood is made. The people threw cowries, or small money, on the body of the victim, in approbatiou of the deed. He was left to view a considerable time, and was then carried by the hurries to the Golgotha, where I have just been viewing his remains. How auch I wished that the Proprietors of India Stock could have attended the wheels of Juggernaut, and seen this peculiar source of their revenue!

JUVENILE DEPARTMENT.

We understand that Wilson Street Chapel is occupied on a Sabbath-day by a Sunday School of 200 children, chiefly under the patronage of seve ral individuals of Mr. Buck's congregation. The following is a copy of a Letter sent to Mr. B. by one of the Female Children:

Rev. Sir, — I HAVE taken this opportunity of returning you thanks for the benefit I have received from your ministry; and indeed I have great reason to be thankful, for I trust it has been the savour of life unto fife to my soul. O, how thankful ought I to be, that I was ever brought under the sound of the ever-blessed gospel! I am going to leave London; and I hope you will let me have an interest in your prayers; for I am young, and may easily be led astray, unless that God, who has all hearts under his controu!, keeps me in his own good way. O, Sir, pray for me, that I may never neglect the gospel that 1 have professed; because I know it will be a disgrace to the Lord of light and glory, as well as an injury to my own soul! I have great reason to be thankful also for the benefit I have received from your Sunday-School; and as the Lord has made it useful to me, so may it be made useful to many more, that the teachers may be encouraged to go on in their work! and may the God of all grace keep us all in his most holy and righteous way! and to Him we will give all the glory! I remain,

Rev. Sir, your humble and devoted servant, M. J.'

found that he had only trod upon one person. It was with great conceru I afterwards learnt, that this was a poor woman, and that the fleshy part of her leg had beca torn off.

Obituary,