then in imminent danger. With this has come another letter from a gentleman, an elder of the Free Church in Calcutta, on his way home, dated from the Red Sea, announcing that a telegram had been forwarded to him at Galle from Calcutta, informing him that Dr. Ewart had died.

To the many who remember his noble and stately form, and the excellent health which he seemed to have when among us two years ago, this intelligence will be most startling.

was secretary to the Calcutta Missionary Conference, the regularity of his attend. ance at which, and especially at all the prayer-meetings in connection with it, will not soon be forgotten. In the Conference, he greatly endeared himself to brethren of the different denominations, by his unvarying Christian, kindly, and gentlemanly deportment; whilst in his own house many were the happy reunions of Calcutta brethren, and of those from northern India on their way to or from Europe and America. As one indi. A prince and a great man in Israel has cation of his position in the community, fallen. High on the roll of Indian we may mention that, at the closing worthies who rest from their labours public meeting of the great Bengal Miswill stand the name of our beloved David sionary Conference in 1855, the chairEwart. His memory will be associated men were the late Bishop of Calcutta with that of Yates, of Lacroix, and of and Dr. Ewart. Weitbrecht, the worthy successors in later days of the Careys, the Marshmans, and the Wards of the past generation. He was no common man. From the habitual modesty and humility of his character, and the quiet devotedness with which for upwards of twenty years he toiled at his post ere he would revisit his native land, he was till lately comparativley little known at home. To another distinguished name belongs, under God, the honour of having raised the heart of Scotland on the subject of missions as no one else has done, as well as of laying the foundation of our missions in Bengal. But more than any other man there, was David Ewart the pillar of our mission, in the actual working of all its varied branches and interests.

He was a regular visitor of the various branch schools in connection with our missions in the rural districts, and very cordial was the welcome from the bright eyes of all the pupils, when the "Big Padre Sahib " from Calcutta arrived to examine them. His unfeigned devotion to his work,-the simplicity, the humility, the godly sincerity of his character,-ever commanded the veneration of his colleagues; whilst, from the strength of his affections, and the steadfastness of his friendship, he was regarded by them with a very peculiar love. No fewer than three of them called their children by his name; and the affliction of his removal is indeed to them a sore and heavy one. By the native church he was looked up to with affection and confidence as a father; whilst throughout the large community of young men, not professedly Christians, yet still less Hindus in heart, who had, during a quarter of a century, gone forth from his classes, he was regarded with unwonted gratitude and respect.

For five-and-twenty years did he toil daily in the institution, through the long hours of the tropical day. The first to reach, he was the last to leave it. Possessed of most extensive and varied knowledge, and an accomplished scholar in the Bengali language, he was to be found at one time instructing his classes in the higher mathematics, in history, or in mental or moral science; at another, freely and lovingly examining the younger classes in their own mother tongue. For many years he preached regularly to the heathen on the streets, until he became pastor of the native church in Calcutta, in connection with our mission, whose worship he has since conducted in Bengali every Sabbath evening. In contri- We would commend the bereaved misbuting to the vernacular Christian litera- sion and native church, and specially his ture, and in editing various editions of sorely bereaved widow, to the deep symthe Bengali Scriptures, he took a con-pathy and prayers of the church at siderable share. For twenty years he large. It is a mysterious providence

Most emphatically might it be said that he had a good report of all men. We cannot attempt to enumerate his labours, or to tell all his worth. They are embalmed in the memories of very many, and the record of them is on high. We speak advisedly when we say that never, we believe, has the death of a missionary caused a larger blank in bis mission than has Dr. Ewart's in that of the Free Church in Bengal.

which has removed such a man, for "his eye was not dim, neither was his natural force abated;" and many an interest in the mission gathered around and depended upon him. And the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. But, though all that is mortal of

David Ewart now rests beneath the palm-trees of that burning clime, yet we doubt not that he has died in faith that the people whom he loved so well shall yet become the Saviour's inheritance, and that days of Gospel brightness are yet to dawn on India.

announce that he was "rather better." As the mail at the General Post Office closed at six, and there was no after-packet, I was unable to furnish any later report.

Towards eight in the evening he again sank, but about midnight once more revived, and drop a short sentence to any that spoke so as to recognise all old acquaintances, to him. On Sunday morning, and throughout the whole of the forenoon, from the choleraic poison having been entirely expelled, he suffered merely from extreme exhaustion, having no pain, being quite conscious, and able to speak a little. From * that little, it was clear that he rested with A more recent number of the Witness undoubting faith, on the Rock of Ages. contains a leter received from Dr. Duff And to prove how alive he was to every by a subsequent mail, giving particu- circumstance, when I looked in upon him lars of this painful bereavement, and a little before ten A.M., he took me at once announcing the deaths, also, of the two by the hand, said how glad he was to see teachers, Miss Turner and Miss Don, me, and then asked, "What arrangement of the Free Church Mission School.have you made for the services ?" adding, told him to keep his mind quite at ease, as "I am too weak to be able to stand." I I meant to do all myself. But the question showed how calm and collected he was; and how his mind, alive to his heavenly Father's business, seemed bent on the dis charge of ordinary duty. *

From this letter we have taken the following passages :

Calcutta, 7 30 A.M., Monday, 10th September, 1860. MY DEAR DR. TWEEDIE,-I have this moment returned from the cold grave to which we have committed, with deepest sorrow, the last remains of our much-loved friend and brother, Dr. Ewart! I feel wounded, bruised, and broken, as if my right arm had been cut off; but my earnest prayer is that I may not be permitted to repine, or question the wisdom, or doubt the goodness, or dishonour the sustaining grace, of a merciful God and Father in Christ Jesus! His loss to the mission I simply regard as irreparable, for, taking him all in all, I do not expect to see his like again. In my short note of Saturday I stated that on the morning of that day, about six o'clock, Dr. Ewart had suddenly been seized with cholera. At that time Dr. Chuckerbutty-who, after being trained in our Institution and the Medical College here, went to London, graduated and was baptized there, and then came out in the regular Government medical service-happened most providentially to be passing by, so that our beloved friend was put immediately under suitable treatment. I say, most providentially, because the family doctor, Macrae, was out when the intimation reached him, and was unable to come till about noon.

From the first the case was considered a bad one, though not hopeless. In three hours, from the violence of the spasms, the patient was thoroughly prostrated. In the course of the afternoon he showed some symptoms of revival; so that, by half-past three, when I wrote, I was authorised to

*

About noon a change for the worse began to appear. His breathing became somewhat oppressed-indicative of congestion of the lungs-often one of the sequelae of cholera. From that time all hope was abandoned, and about half-past four P.M. he quietly expired, amid a group of weeping mourners. When the body was wrapped in its winding sheet, we all united in pouring out our souls in prayer to God, praying for grace to enable us to submit resignedly and absolutely to His holy will, and praying that out of this sudden, and to us mysterious death, there might spring up a life of spiritual revival to this afflicted mission.

The scene was rendered doubly impressive from another concomitant event.

On the side of the square opposite to our mission-house is "the Bethune School," or Government Native Female School, and close to it the house of the lady superintendent. For several years past the superintendent has been Miss Turner, an amiable and estimable Christian young lady. The house being a spacious one, she very kindly gave up a large portion of it to Dr. and Mrs. Ewart, so that the three lived happily together as a family.

Well, early on Saturday morning last, Miss Turner was seized with the premonitory symptoms of cholera. Dr. Ewart, on getting up about six, wrote to the doctor to come and see Miss Turner, simply adding that he himself did not feel very well. As already stated, Dr. Chuckerbutty, happening to pass at the time, looked in, and prescribed

that of the superintendent of the Bethune School, presently occupied by the Rev. Mr. Stuart, of the Church of England Mission. The extraordinary kindness and attention of Mr. Stuart-a citizen of Edinburgh-on the occasion, it is impossible for us ever adequately to repay. Miss Don had naturally a very vigorous constitution, and she again and again rallied so much, that the medical men were long very sanguine of her recovery.

In the course of her illness she spoke much; from the first she herself concluded that she was to die; her love to the Saviour was conspicuously manifested; and seldom have I heard from any one more triumphant utterances of faith in Christ Jesus as all her salvation and all her praise. She contemplated the approach of death not only without dread, but with something like rapturous or ecstatic joy. With a calm and collected earnestness, she delivered to me, on Tuesday, a special message for her father -a message announced and reiterated with such solemn fervour, that it drew tears from the eyes of all the bystanders. That solemn message is herewith enclosed for you to forward.

for both, notifying that both had cholera, that Dr. Ewart's was a bad case, but Miss Turner's worse. And so it proved. On the afternoon of that same day, about four o'clock, Miss Turner, unable to withstand the choleraic shock, fell under it. Dr. Ewart, from his naturally robust constitution, weathered out the choleraic shock, and sunk under the subsequent weakness and collapse, surviving the shock itself nearly a whole day. A little before five P.M., on Sabbath, just as we closed our prayer near the wound-up corpse of our newly-departed friend, Miss Turner's coffin was carried out from an adjacent room, to be consigned to the grave. And what rendered her case additionally affecting was, that next month she was to have been married to an excellent Christian young man, a member of the Free Church, who had now to act the part of chief mourner at her funeral. Oh! it was altogether a heart-rending, and all but heart-crushing, scene. The Lord alone, through the mighty energy of his Spirit's grace, could sustain us under it. But, praised be his holy name, amid nature's spontaneous and resistless tribute of sobs and tears, He did sustain us.' We knew On Thursday, about half-past one P.M., that both the departed had gone to their Miss Don gently fell asleep in Jesus; and glorious rest- that all was well with them-yesterday morning (Friday) her remains and that a good and gracious God and Father would not leave us comfortless. Even Mrs. Ewart, the most afflicted amongst us, was wonderfully sustained; so that after the first gush of feeling had abated, there did succeed a subdued resignation of spirit, which issued in a sweet calm, under the breath of Jehovah's Spirit, and the reviving smiles of his gracious coun

Early on the morning of Monday last, before Dr. Ewart's corpse was removed from the house, Miss Don-who came out in February last to take charge of Mrs. Ewart's Jewish Armenian School, and was residing with Dr. and Mrs. Ewart-was seized with cholera, though in a comparatively mild form. The doctor was in immediate attendance, and everything was done for her which medical skill or kindness of friends could devise. As Miss Don was too ill to be removed to any distance, she was, in the course of the forenoon, carried into the adjoining house, separated only by a few yards from

were consigned to the tomb. There are two things which may serve to mitigate the sorrow of surviving friends. Miss Don was assiduously cared for. Several friends by turns sat by her couch by night and by day, watching and supplying all her wants. The doctor first sent for called often. My son, who is assistant-surgeon of Fort William, being very unwell for some time past, got leave of absence for three weeks, to subject himself to a course of medical treatment. He came to us on Sunday evening; and, though unwell himself, he was with Miss Don almost every hour of the day while she survived, to give directions according to the rapid variation of the case; and Dr. Barry, a worthy member of our Church, sat up with her two whole nights; as also did other Christian friends. But the grand consolation, after all, is, that she died happily, yea, triumphantly, in the Lord.

And this is the consolation we have with regard to all the three, so suddenly smitten in one house, and within a week committed to the grave: "They all fell asleep in Jesus, in the certain and sure hope of a glorious resurrection, when the body, now the victim of disease, shall rise, and shine with the brightness of the stars for ever and ever. The message, loud as thunder, from their tomb, is, Be ye also ready, for ye know not the day or the hour when the Son of Man cometh.'

*

A VOICE FROM RIDLEY'S BIRTH-PLACE TO THE CHURCH OF THE PURITANS.

Haltwhistle, October 18, 1860. We make no apology for this heading. A martyr's voice should be listened to. Ridley was born in this vale. He looked on the same hills as we. He listened to the music of this meandering stream as well as we. Here he spent the days of his youth. Here sprung the first emotions of love to that Saviour for whom he died by fire. Here were first enkindled that love for his perishing fellowmen, which cost him an earthly life. Alexander Peden lifted his voice in the ears of dying sinners when driven from Scotland by the dire and dark deeds of the infatuated James and his cruel hirelings. But Ridley's voice is louder than that of Peden. It is a voice uttered with an enthusiasm which the memory of home inspires.

unfed in this place. Let the past be forgotten for it is bad. We join with the voice of Ridley, and we ask you to note the present. Your church was in ruins almost. Within, it was rotten. The desolation of Babylon reigned within its walls. It was a place for anything to haunt-silence was there supreme. The voice of Christ crucified was not heard, though hundreds around wanted to listen. Now, that voice is again heard, and many are glad. The house of God is being renewed, and is nearly finished. But it has cost much, and it must be paid for. Will any of those who love the same Gospel, and the same Saviour, and have hearts which breathe tender compassion on the lost, as Ridley did, help us to liquidate the expense incurred in fitting up this house of God anew for the population in this valley? The Home Mission will do part; but it should not be called upon to build decayed churches. Let us try to save the money of the Home Mission for still more needful purposes, and pay the whole amount ourselves.

The

But, though we have renewed the church inside--it would not mend-this is only to put us over winter. church must be enlarged when spring sets in, and it can be without losing the new inside work. It will not contain the congregation, we fear, over winter. We, therefore, want to prepare for enlarging it when winter has passed away. Can we obtain £250 for this monument to the memory of Ridley?

And, Church of the Puritans! what is it? You profess to have taken on your shoulders the mantle he threw off when going to the flames-" to heaven in a fiery chariot." That voice pleads on behalf of a generation in this valley. It comes to your ears, and it pleads with you to feed the flock of this valley with the same truth for which the martyr died. Babylon's abomination is again set up beside the birth-place of Ridley. Just now, when you have unfolded the banner of the one Mediator, there is hung out the colours of the triple tyrant -as if the Evil One were determined not to lose his prey in this valley. Long had the population of this vale slept undisturbed in sin. Generations have gone to their account with scarce a warning voice. Now that the warning has been begun by you-now that you would give the children bread, the Evil One has sums sent for this purpose to the Treacommenced with dealing out the stone. surer, John Nixon, Portobello, HaltWill you supply the fish, or allow the Evil One to substitute the serpent? The whistle by Carlisle, or to the Rev. Peter voice of the martyr is: "Break the bread Taylor, Brampton by Carlisle, to whose to a famished population." care the congregation at Haltwhistle is

JOHN SAYBOURNE.

[We shall be glad to chronicle any

Church of the Puritans! Your church has long been empty. A large number commited by the Cumberland Presbytery of your children have been long left of our Church. Ed.]

Notices of Books.

dissertation extending over no less than eighty pages. For this reason, we suppose, there are not so many original papers as usual; the only other one-and this concludes the number-is a review of Tholuck's able volume on the Gospel of John.

The Quarterly Journal of Prophecy. October. NISBET & Co.

The British and Foreign Evangelical | no ordinary degree, for he treats us to a Review. October, 1860. NISBET & Co. THE present number concludes the ninth volume of this excellent review. It commences with a very able article on Baird's "First and Second Adam," from the pen of Dr. Thornwell, of South Carolina, the interest and value of which is not diminished by the fact that last number contained an article by Dr. Hodge on the same subject. This is followed by an article from the Christian Review, on Dr. Edward Beecher's works on the Doctrine of Human Depravity, and by a lengthened paper, also of American origin, on Sir William Hamilton's Theory of Perception. The article on "Spiritualism" is a review of Robert Dale Owen's book on that subject; and, although it concedes many points to the advocates of this modern system of legerdemain that some of us would be disposed to contest, it is, notwithstanding, seasonable, and calculated to be helpful to many minds. "Zwingle, and the Doctrine of the Sacraments," forms the subject of one of the original articles of the number, able, though heavy as we think; although this impresssion may be increased by the fact that the writer is guilty of the "sin of excessive length" in

THIS number opens with the fifth article on "The Kingdom of Christ, and nature of the Age to Come," and treats particularly of the "Duration of this blessed and glorious state." Two papers follow of a practical nature-which we think the "Journal" too often lacks-namely, "Prejudice and Scripture;" and a short paper on "Successful Prayer" which we would specially commend to the attention of the general reader.

The Family Treasury (September and October. NELSON & SONS) has now attained to the largest circulation of any similar journal in this country, and we may safely say, it is first in excellence as well as in circulation. The parts before us contain some very valuable papers both original and selected.

Presbyterian Church in England.

COLLECTION ON BEHALF OF THE THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN ENGLAND.

By appointment of SYNOD the annual collection on behalf of the College Fund should take place in all our churches on the third Sabbath of November, and the Committee earnestly hope, that the present appeal to our congregations, many of whom have received their pastors from this Institution, will be punctually and liberally responded to.

The Winter Session was opened on Tuesday, the 2nd October, with an impressive lecture by the Rev. Dr. Lorimer, bearing on some of the present aspects of Theology in England and Germany, which he was earnestly requested to publish.

The report, which was presented at the last meeting of Synod, was of a most cheer

ing character; indeed, the most satisfactory which for many years the Committee have had it in their power to render-the number of students having been fourteen. Since last Synod five of these, whose course of study had been completed, were licensed to preach the Gospel, and are now usefully employed in various fields of labour at home and abroad, while it is pleasing to observe that their places are being filled up, during the present session, by fresh alumni.

A still larger attendance than any hitherto known in the history of our College is particularly desirable, when due consideration is given to the numerous openings which have been of late presented, in the providence of God, to those who are thus