RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM.-The term expressive of contempt varies with the age and country. Paul was called mad in the judgment-hall of Cæsarea. A man with the devotedness of Paul would in the court of Charles II. have been called Puritan; in a conclave of high churchmen he would be called a Methodist; in our tasteful and literary circles he would be called a fanatic; in a party of ecclesiastics, where coldness passes for rationality, he would be called an enthusiast; and in private life, where secularity and indifference form the tame and undeviating features of almost every company, he would, if altogether a Christian, be spoken of as a man whose wrong-headed peculiarities rendered him a very odd and unnatural exception to the general character of the species.-Dr. Chalmers' Sermons.

SUMMARY OF NEWS.

"There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand."

THE cholera may be now said, for the present at least, to have disappeared from amongst us. And most thankful do we feel for the general day of thanksgiving which has been appointed by the Queen to be observed throughout England, Ireland, and Scotland.

Some remarkable facts, as to the disease itself, have lately appeared in the Registrar-General's report for the last quarter. It seems to have uniformly advanced along the great rivers of the country, and crept up the estuaries with which the sea has indented different parts of the coast.

It has been found that every large town, situated in these localities, has been attacked and ravaged. The high districts of the Midland Counties have escaped almost untouched, while some towns which have had these natural disadvantages to contend against, together with those arising from ill-ventilated houses and pestiferous sewers, have had twelve per cent. of their population carried off by this mysterious and fatal scourge.

We do not hear, as yet, that there is any intention on the part of the government, of rescinding the Postfice order to which we alluded in our last. The voice of the public will be heard much more effectively when Parliament meets, and we trust that all will endeavour in their several spheres to obtain a complete cessation of Sunday labour in the Post-offices throughout the kingdom. It goes far to prove our hypocrisy when we thank God for removing the punishment which our national sins have deserved, to open the path to a further violation of his Divine commands.

The national affairs of France are much quieter than could have

been expected since the late crisis. It was thought when Louis Napoleon dismissed the ministry in a body, that it would have gone far to produce another revolution. He has introduced a large body of his friends; but most of them unknown and untried in the political world.

of internal or international policy are daily arising, that we cannot but be apprehensive, either of domestic troubles, or foreign disturbances. There is, however, this, at present cheering circumstance connected with it, that the President has the army on his side, that mighty engine in France for good or evil.

The Church Missions Society for Ireland is rapidly extending its influence in the west. In Connemara the effect has been as pleasing as it was unexpected. The children in Clifden, amounting to some hundreds, are said to be virtually Protestant, and exhibit the greatest anxiety for the conversion of their parents.

At the late confirmation of the Bishop of Tuam, 183 Roman Catholics were admitted into the Church of England. Many were refused, in consequence of not being well instructed enough. And these, with we trust many more, will again come forward in the spring.

The Dolphin brings home the pleasing intelligence from Africa, that the chiefs of the Gallinas off that coast have voluntarily determined to abandon the slave trade. All the Barracoons on the shores. were to be destroyed, and 3,000 slaves to be given up.

There is nothing new from Canada. A large party are pushing forward plans for the annexation of the Canadas to the United States; and we should not be surprised if eventually they become absorbed in the American Republic.

On the 6th of November the Bishop of Victoria, Hong Kong, set sail from Portsmouth, with seven ordained clergymen and catechists, and two tutors for the proposed missionary college there. He was also accompanied by an interesting Chinese youth, who has been travelling in this country with the Chinese collection. Soon after his arrival here, he became a Christian and was baptized. He expresses his desire to return to China, and preach the glad tidings of that. Gospel which he has learnt to his benighted countrymen. After a due course of instruction, he is to be ordained for that purpose.

The episcopal mission which has thus set forth upon its labours. will, we trust, have God's blessing resting upon it, and produce an effect which has been hitherto unfelt in that most deeply interesting missionary field.

CONCLUDING ADDRESS.

OUR little Magazine comes to a close with the present number. Three reasons have chiefly weighed with the Editor in taking this step.

1. Failing health, advancing years, and the remonstrances of friends have impressed on his mind the absolute necessity of diminishing his burdens and responsibilities.

2. While gratefully acknowledging the kind assistance which he has received from several valued friends, he cannot help saying that he has not been favoured with the co-operation which he was led to expect when he started the TEACHER'S VISITOR. An undue share of labour, always injurious to a magazine, whose success depends greatly on variety of style, has in consequence devolved on the Editor.

Among the kind friends, who have helped him, the Editor begs particularly to express his acknowledgments to the able contributors of the " Scripture Lessons" and "Summary of News," and to the talented Christian lady familiar to his readers under the signature "Mary." To the friends who have contributed under the signatures "D.," "H. T." B," and " Omega," he is also under many obligations.

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3. Since the appearance of the TEACHER'S VISITOR, several magazines of a similar character have entered the field. The circulation of the TEACHER'S VISITOR has in consequence considerably fallen off. It may perhaps be fairly questioned whether the present excessive competition among religious periodicals is desirable, causing, as it does, nearly all of them after a short time to be carried on at a loss. But on this point the Editor has no wish to say more. It is a source of thankfulness that the periodicals which have occupied the same field with the TEACHER'S VISITOR are generally, so far as he is aware, sound in principle. From this cause, he retires from the field with less reluctance than he should otherwise have done.

Finally, it is his earnest prayer that, in the present zealous exertions on all sides to educate, the principles of the Gospel may be faithfully inculcated simultaneously with the imparting of secular instruction. On this point he cannot help sometimes having many misgivings. The Lord grant that his fears may be groundless.

J. FOSTER, PRINTER, KIRKBY LONSDALE.