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PRINCETON,  N  J 

j  "  '   .  ■  ipn   j. 

I  No.  Case,  .•  -m" 

No.  Shelf,  S.ecJiqn  

No.  Book,_.  - 


I 


V 


CHRISTIAN  WORK 


For  1863. 


•*  Fly  hftppy,  happy  RaHs  atid  hear  the  press, 

riy  liappv  with  Ihe  mission  of  the  cross  ; 
Knif  land  to  Ijiiul.  and,  blowing  Imvcnward, 
Enrich  the  markets  of  the  golden  year." 

TaNNTSON. 


LONDON : 

PUBLISHED  AT  THE  OFFICE  OF  "  GOOD  WORDS," 

32,  LUDGATE  HILL. 


Lqitdon  : 

l;R\DBURy  AKD  EVANS,  PRnTTEKS,  WniTEFRIAB 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Abyssinia,  The  Workmen's  MisRion 
in.    By  Theophilus  Waldmeier     .  623 

Africa,  My  late  Mission  Tour  to  the 
East  Co;vst  of.  By  Dr.  J.  Louis 
Krapf    193,  265 

Africa,  Voyages  of  the  Candace  to  the 
East  Coast  of  609 

African  Missions,  A  Bird's-eyo  View 
of  45 

Aldershot,  The  Camp  at    .       .       .  275 

America  ;  General  Survey  of  Protes- 
tant Missions  in  177 

American  Board,  The  Meeting  of  the. 
By  Prof.  II.  W.  Baird     .       .  .644 

Army  Chaplains,  Tlie    .      .       .    .  357 

Army,  On  the  Obstacles  to  Christian 
Work  in  the.  By  an  Army  Chap- 
lain  625 

Asia  Minor,  Planting  of  Churches  in  371 

Basle,  The  Mission  House  at.  By  a 
Special  Commissioner       .       .    .  281 

Basle  Missions  in  India  and  China, 
The   169 

Basutos,  French  Mission  to  the        .  491 

Belgium,  The  Roman  Catholic  Con- 
gress in  508 

Bengal  Mission  of  the  Free  Chjirch 
of  Scotland   84 

Berlin  Christian  Union,  The     .       .  77 

Brahma  Saraaj  and  Reform  Hindu 
Party  of  Bengal,  The.  By  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Duff  272 

Brazil,  Social  and  Religious  State  of  115 

Calabar,  after  Seventeen  Years  of 
Missionary  Labour.  By  the  Rev. 
Alexander  Robb,  Old  Calabar       .  433 

Calcutta  Betliune  Society,  The.  By 
the  Rev.  Ur.  Duff      .       .       .    .  635 

Canstein,  The  Baron  of ;  the  Founder 
of  the  First  Bible  Society      .       .  619 

Canton,  Visit  to  the  Hill  Districts  of. 
By  the  Rev.  F.  S.  Turner  .      .    .  448 

China,  Christian  Hospit.als  in.  By 
Dr.  Hobson,  M.R.C.P.  (late  of 
Canton)  645 

China :  The  Bishop  of  Victoria's  An- 
nual Report  96 

Churches  in  the  Confederacy,  The. 
By  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hoge,  of  Richmond  366 

Dahomky,  a  Visit  to  ...  175 
Danube  to  Odes.sa,  From  the  Upper. 

By  a  Chinese  Missionary  .  .  .  346 
Demerara  Coolie  Mission  .  .  .  fiSS 
Denmark,  Ecclesiastical  Affairs  in. 

By  Dr.  Biornatzky  ....  629 

Fan  Sino  Loins,  Chinese  Catoehiat  on 
the  Ovens  Gold-fields,  Victoria,  Nar- 
rative of  42:j 

Ganoes,  Two  Months'  Furlough 
am<jng  the  Towns  and  Villages  of 
the.    By  the  Rev.  J.  Bradbury     .  438 

Germany,  An  Experiment  in  Homo 
Mission  Work  in        ....  3.^)1 

Germany,  The  Undercurrent  of  In- 
fideUty  in  375 

Germany,  Religious  and  Rationalistic 
Movements  in  South.  By  Dr.  J. 
Louis  Krapf  291 

Gorm.iny,  RcligiouB  Education  in 
South  633 

Germany,  Religious  Tliought  and 
Feeling  in  South.  By  Dr.  J.  Louis 
Krapf  ....  430 


PAGE 

Grcenhind.  Life  and  Christian  Labour 
in.    By  Dr.  Kalkar    .  .    .  285 

Gujarat  Territories,  The.  By  the  Rev. 
Dunlop  Moore  614 

Havanna,  Three  Weeks  in.    By  E. 
B.  Underbill,  Secretary  of  the  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  .       .       .  218 
Heldring's,  Mr.,  New  Guinea  Mission. 

Bv  the  Rev.  Dr.  J.  Louis  Krapf     .  631 
Heldring's  (Pastor)  Work      .       .    .  22 
Hinduism,  The  Decline  of  .       .  .86 
Hungary,  The  Protestant  Sclavonian 
Church  in.    By  Licentiate  Borbis  .  436 

India,  Government  Support  of  Idol- 
atry in.    By  the  Rev.  G.  Bowen    .  307 

India,  Ten  Years'  Missionary  Progress 
in.  By  the  Rev.  J.  E.  Carlyle  (late 
of  Bombay)   563 

Indian  Missions,  Statistical  Tables  of  82 

Indian  Villages,  Nino  Days'  Tour 
among.    By  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Ashton  487 

Institute  of  St.  John,  The,  at  Berlin  IS 

Italy,  The  Education  of  the  Clergy  in. 
By  the  Rev.  Dr.  Desanctis    .    364,  495 

Italy,  Noo-Catholici.«m  in.;  By  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Desanctis        .       .    236,  305 

.Jewish  Festivals  in  London  .      .  612 
Journey  from  Cairo  to  the  Canal  of 
Suez,  for  the  Distribution  of  Testa- 
ments, Sic.    By  Messrs.  Buhler  and 
Hamm  229 

Kafkraria  and  Bechuana,  Experi- 
ences in.  By  a  Resident  Missionary  443 
Karen  Associations,  Toimgoo       .    .  168 
Karen  Mis.sion,  The  Toungoo.— Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Mason.    By  the  Rev.  Dr. 

Duff  417 

Karens,  The.  By  the  Be\'.  Dr.  Mason  355 
Koordistan,  The  Mountains  of.  By 

Ju.stin  Perkins,  D.D.  .  .  .  561,  642 
Kornthal,  The  Colony  of    .       .       .  153 

London  Bible  and  Domestic  Female 
Missions,  The         ....  135 

London's,  The  Bi.shop  of,  Fund.  By 
a  London  Clergyman         .       .    .  293 

London  Diocesan  Society,  The  .       .  1 

London,  Parish  Work  in  the  East  of. 
By  an  E,ast-cnd  Incumbent       .    .  200 

Madras,  The  Prim.ary  Charge  of  the 
Bishop  of  014 

Mission  Voyaging  in  the  "John 
Williams."  By  the  Rev.  P.  Ooold 
Bird  499 

Mission  Voyaging  in  the  South  Seas. 
By  J.  C.  Patteson,  D.D.,  the  Mis- 
sionary Bi.shop      ....  206 

Mohammedans  and  Nestorians  of 
Persia,  The.  By  Justin  Perkins, 
D.D  232 

Mysore,  The  Ryots  of       ...  36 

Natai,  Dr.  Callaway's  Mission  Sta- 
tion in  105 

Neilgherries  or  Blue  Mountains  of 
India,  Visit  of  a  Gerinan  Mission- 
ary to  the  89 

Ncstoria,  The  Mountain  Regions  of. 
By  Justin  Perkins,  D.D.        .  .300 

Nestoria,  Perseeiition  in.  By  Justin 
Perkins,  D.D  348 

New  South  Wales,  The  Churches  in. 
By  the  Rev.  Dr.  Steel,  of  Sidney  .  617 


PACK 

New  York,  The  Riots  in.  By  Pro- 
fessor Henry  M.  Baird,  Now  York .  450 

Oxford,  The  Bishop  of,  on  Christian 
Missions  568 

Pacific,  Kidnapping  of  Islanders  in 
the.    By  J.  Bayner,  Sydney  .       .  420 

Parsees,  The  88 

Pekin,  A  Visit  to  .  .  .  .505 
Phihp,  the  Tamil  Preacher  .  .  .  361 
Prussia,  Work  in  the  Prisons  of.  By 

J.  Oldenberg,  D.D.        ...  234 
Punjab  Missionary  Conference     .    .  32 
Punjab  Missionary  Conference,  The. 
By  D.  F.  Macleod,  C.B.,  Financial 
Commis.sioner  of  the  Punjab        .  226 

Renan.  Life  of  Jesus.  By  Edmond 
de  Pressens^,  D.D  378 

Renan's  (M  )  Book,  French  Opinions 
on.  By  Edmond  de  Pressense,  D.  D.  513 

Rhine,  Home  Missions  on  the  .       .  20 

Rhine  Mission,  The.  By  a  Special 
Commissioner  .....  221 

Roman  Curia,  The.  By  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Desanctis.       .       -      ...  630 

Russia,  IleUgious  and  Social  Pro- 
blems in.    By  J.  Oldenberg,  D.D.  290 

St.  Chrishona,  The  Pilgrim  Mission 
of  146 

Slavery  in  West  Africa.  By  the  Bev. 
Alexander  Robb,  Old  Calabar       .  510 

Slaves  of  the  Southern  Sfcites,  The  .  516 

Social  Science  Congress  at  Edin- 
burgh. By  the  Rev.  W.  G.  Blaikie, 
M.A.,  F.R  S.E  555 

Social  Congress  at  Ghent,  The.  By 
Dr.  Edmond  de  Pressens(5      .       .  507 

South  America,  Missions  in.  By  Mr. 
Gray,  Sccret.ary  of  the  Patagonian 
Missionary  Society     .       .       .    .  425 

Spain,  Recent  Events  in.  By  Jules 
Bonnet,  D.D  344 

Spain,  Visit  to,  on  behalf  of  Matamoros 
and  otlior  Prisoners.  By  Jules 
Bonnet,  D.D  203 

Statistics  of  Societies  for  Foreign 
Missions  ...       ...  64 

Syria,  Charitable  Institutions  in.  By 
C.  W.  M.  Van  de  Velde    .       .  212,  30 

Syria,  Sects  and  Divisions  of       .    .  163 

Syrian  Relief  Fund.  By  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Thomson,  Beyrout   .       .       .  440 

Tahiti,  The  New  French  Mission  at .  579 
Tinnevelly,  P:uitoral  Training  in.  By 

the  Rev.  Dr.  Caldwell  .  .  .  349 
Turkey,  American  Missions  in.  With 

a  Map.    By  the  Rev.  C.  S.  Wheeler  428 

United  States  Armv,  Christian 
Efforts  in  the  492 

United  States,  City  Mission  Work  in 
the.  By  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jenkins  (late 
of  Philadelphia)      .       .       .  .038 

United  St;ites,  Sunday-school  Work 
in  the.  By  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jenkins 
(lato  of  Philadelphia)        .       .    .  575 

Waldensian  Valleys,  Iraprcssionsof 

an  Eyo-witucss  in  the 

•268,  337,  409,  481,  5.S0 
Wesleyan  Missioiiary  Jubilee.  By 

the  Rev.  J.  H.  Rigg       .       .  .581 


IV 


Enci.and,  1,  G  j,  120,  23S,  309,  380,  453, 

519,  584,  647. 
Scuuuu^,  7,  t8,  137,  212,  312,  382,  454, 

522,  5S8,  B50. 
Ireland,  7,  69,  138,  242,  313,  383,  688,  651. 
France,  9,  71,  141,  243,  315,  385,  455,  523, 
691,  653. 

South  of  France,  11,  72,  144. 
Spain,  145,  245,  317,  525. 
Portugal,  245,  318. 
Belgium,  11,  145,  386. 

Italy,  13,  73,  146,  246,  319,  388,  461,  529, 
593,  655. 
Rome,  146,  320,  530,  656. 
Kaples,  14S. 
Milan,  15,  530 
Switzerland,  16,  75,  148,  249,  321,  387, 

457,  525,  595,  654. 
Holland.  20,  156,  457. 
Germany — North  Germany,  151,  526. 

Prussia,  17,  77,  250,  390,  458, 

5rt.i,  657. 
The  Rhinf,  20,  76,  596. 
South  Germany,  152,  251,  327, 

390,  65S. 
Austria,  155,  459,  527. 
Bohemia,  77,  390,  459. 
Sweden,  157,  25 .',  322,  39  ■,  527. 
Denmark,  24,  79,  156,  323,  391,  528,  658. 
Russia,  25,  159,  252,  529,  659, 
Poland,  159. 

Greece,  26,  8i>,  161,  462,  531. 

T\irkey  in  Kurope,  162,  322,  392,  460,  532. 

Turkey  in  Asia — 

Western  Turkey,  28. 

Central  Turkey,  29, 162. 

Eastern  Turkey,  29,  81,  253,  394,  462, 
532. 

Syria,  29,  80,  163,  324,  393. 
Palestine,  164,  324,  394, 659. 


PAGE 


EXGLISH. 
Able  to  Save      .....  336 
Alford's  (Dr.)  New  Testament  for 

English  Headers  .  .  .  .  607 
Andrew's  Life  of  Our  Lord  ,  .  607 
Arctic  Discovery  408 

BALDwrN's  African  Hunting .      .    ,  61 

Barlee,  Ellen  60 

Bible  in  the  WDrk.-ihop  .  .  .  60 
Uirk.s'  Exodus  of  Israel  .       ,  836 

Blaikie's  Better  Days  for  Working 

People      .       ,       ,       .       .  ,664 
Bonur  s  Family  Sermons      .       .    ,  60 
Bost,  A.,  History  of  the  Moravians.  119 
British  and  Foreign  Evangelical  Re- 
view,   April,  1863   187 

Brown's  Divine  Mystery  of  Peace  .  665 
BUchsel's  Ministerial  Experiences  ,  407 
Bungener's  Calvin     .       .       ,  ,185 

Charteris'  Life  of  Rev.  J,  Robertson, 
D.n.  406 

Colani,  T.  Notre  Ptre,  Sermon  pr£ch<; 
il  Paris  .       .  ...  120 

Cumming's  Moses  Right  and  Colenso 
Wrong  60 

D'AtrBicvE,  J.  n.  M.,  Histoire  de  la 
RiSfonnation  en  E\irope      .       .    .  119 

Domer's  Doctrine  of  the  Person  of 
Christ  336 

Drew's  Bishop  Colcnso's  Examination 
of  the  Pentateuch  Examined      .  60 

Elus's  Madagascar       .      .      .    .  ISO 

Fethehstone's  Primev.al  Symbols    .  665 
Foster's  Essay  on  the  Improvement 
of  Time  60S 

Garratt's  Ehjah  the  Prophet  .  .  665 
Gotthoil's  Messiah  .       .  .665 

Graver    Thoughts   of    a  Coxmtry 

Parson  118 

Green  s  M.anuel  Matamoras  .  .186 
Grosart's,  Balloch,  Small  Sins  .  .  ,  608 
Guthrie's,  Dr. ,  Speaking  to  the  Heart.  118 


Index. 


MONTHLY  CHRONICLE. 

Persia — 

Nestoria,  31,  165,  463. 
India— 

The  Punj.ab,  32,  35,  256,  326. 

Bengal  Presidency,  84,  166,  257,  325, 
464.  533,  596,  660. 

Bombay  Presidency,  86,  8S,  254,  326, 
395,  465,  533. 

Madras  Presidency,  37,  89, 167,  396,  534. 

Mysore,  36. 
Affghanistan,  325. 
Ceylon,  95,  167,  258,  326,  397. 
Burm  ih,  38,  96, 168, 
Annam,  171. 
Thibet,  535. 
China — 

Pekin,  39,  397. 

Hong  Kong,  96,  258,  327. 

Swatow,  99. 

Canton,  170. 

Tungchau,  535. 
Japan,  100. 
Singapore,  397. 
Borneo,  397. 
Australia — 

Victoria,  536. 

New  South  Wales,  40,  171,  393,  466, 
037,  600,  660. 

South  AustraUa,  42,  398,  467,  538. 

Queensland,  399,  467,  537. 
Now  Zealand,  41,  600.  . 
Sarao.an  Islands,  43, 
Fiji  Islands,  102,  171,  468. 
Melanesia,  41. 
Micronesia,  43,  101, 
S.andwich  Islands,  100, 
Africa — 45. 

Egypt,  102, 172. 

Abyssinia,  173. 

Algeria,  47,  102. 


LITERATURE. 

pace 


Henrv's  Christ  All  in  AH.  .  .  408 
Hill's,  Michaiah,  Christ,  or  Colenso  .  60 
Howe's  Works.   Vol  V.     .       .      .  335 

JouRS,\L  of  Sacred  Literature,  ifec.   .  187 

Laroitrers'  Cottages  .  .  .60 
Lancashire  Homes  .  .  .  .  60 
Lange's  Commentary  on  the  Gospel 

of  St.  Luke  336 

Legge's  Lectures  406 

Leilchild's  Memoir  ....  334 
Lewis,  Tayler,  The  Divine  Human  in 

the  Scriptures  118 

M 'Caul's    Examin.ation   of  Bishop 

Coleu.so's  Difficulty  .  .  .  .336 
M 'C.ausland's  Evangelical  Ethics  .  1S7 
Macduff,  J,  R.,  D.D.    The  Thoughts 

of  God  60 

Macfarlane.  The  Railway  .  .  187 
Macleod'.s  Pai'ish  Papers  .  .  .  118 
Maolcod's  Earnest  Student  .  .  407 
Mouchon's  Hyppolyte  .  ...  120 
Moulc's  Hope  .against  Hope      .       .  408 

Nicnor.'s  Puritan  Divines  .  .  .  335 
Noel  s  Freedom  and  Slavery  .      .    .  336 

Pravehs,  Texts,  and  HjTnns,  for 
those  in  Service      .       .      .  .60 

Quarteriics,  Tlie  0(i6 

Quarterly  Jom  nal  of  Prophecy    .    .  187 

Rawlinson's  Two  Great  Monarchies 

of  the  Eastern  World  .  .  .119 
Recreations  of  a  Country  Parson  .  .118 

Standard  of  the  Cross  .  ,  .  408 
Stanley's  Lectures  on  the  Historj-  of 

the  Jewish  Church     .  .    .  117 

Stevenson's  Praying  and  Working   .  118 

T.,  H.  Mary,  Blossoms  in  the  Shade  .  065 
Talbot's  Parochial  Mission  .  .  .  60 
Taylor,  Isaac,  on  the  Pentateuch      .  60 

ViLL.vRi's  History  of  Savonarola       .  335 

Waddell's  Twenty-nine  Year.'?  in  the 
West  Indies  185 


Africa,  contintied— 

Contnal  jVfrica,  260,  468. 

West  Africa,  103,  174,  175, 

South  Africa,  48,  104,  105,  260,  327. 

Madagascar,  49,  177,  328,  399,  538. 
United  Swtes,  52,  106,  ISO,  261,  328,  401. 

469,  .53S,  601. 
North-west  America,  55. 
Canada,  111. 
Nova  Scotia,  112,  402. 
Coluaibia,  470, 
Mexico,  113. 
West  Indies — 

Jamaica,  11.3,  181,  263,  472. 

Hayti,  540. 

The  Dutch  West  Indies,  540. 

Antigua,  473. 

Caymanas,  56. 
South  America — 

Brazil,  115. 

Uruguay,  331,  474. 

Chih,  403. 

Keppel  Island,  473. 

Valparaiso,  473. 
Suggestions  and  Replies  : — 121,  125, 126, 

127,  128,  190,  191,  192,  26.3,  264,  331,  332, 

333,  404,  405,  474,  475,  477,  541,  542,  643, 

544,  tOl,  60'2,  603,  662. 


In  Memoriam. 

Bau-d,  Robert  184 

Boecher,  Lyman  59 

Clark,  Roger  E  184 

Coldstream,  John  606 

Gaussen,  Louis  403 

M'Caul,  Alexander  663 

Robinson,  Edward     .      .       .  .57 

Stier,  Rudolph  58 

Tweedio,  William  K  184 

Whately,  Richard  604 


PAGE 

Walsh's  Donellan  Lectures  for  1861  .  59 
^ately's  Ragged  Life  in  Egj-pt  .    .  335 

Todnq's  Ulrich  von  Hutten     .      .  334 

GERMAN. 
Auberlen,  and  others.    Zur  Venint- 

wortung  des  Christlichen  Glaubens  63 
Besser,  H.  F.  Bibelstiindon  .  .  62 
Uorner,  Dr.  T.  A.    Uber  Jesu  sUnd- 

lose  VoUkommcnheit .  .    .  63 

Dorpater  Zeitschrift  fur  Theologie 

und  Kirehe  189 

F.abri,  Dr.   F.     Die  Stellung  des 

Christian  ziu-  PoUtik  .  .  .  478 
Gess,  .and  others.    Vortriige  Uber  die 

Projihetcn  187 

J.ahrbUcher  fiir  Deutsche  Theologie  .  479 
Keil-Dclitsch.  BibUscher  CommeutUr 

tiber  das  Alte  Testament  .  62 

Kurtz,  J.  H.    Der  Alttestamentlicho 

Opfercultus  478 

Lechler,  Acht  Vortriige  Uber  China  .  478 
Lobstein,  T.   F.    Die  Geheinniisso 

des  Herzens  82 

Matthes,  Karl.    AUgemeine  Kirch- 

liche  Chronik.  Neunter  Jahrgang, 

1S()2.  Altona,  1S63  .  .  .  .  189 
Piper,  Dr.   F.     Evangelischer  Ka- 

lendcr.  Jahrbuch  fUr  1863  .  .121 
Schultze,  Leopold.   Die  evangelischo 

Bewegimg  innerhalb  der  Katho- 

lischen  Kircho  zu  Vav\c  des  vorigen 

Jahrhunderts.  Ein  Vortrag  .  .  121 
Staehelin,  Dr.  E     Leben  und  ausge- 

wiihltc  Schriften  der  Vater  und 

Bcgiundcr  der  Reformirten  Kirche  120 
TheoTogische  Studien  und  Kritiken. 

Jahrg.ang  1863.  Uefte  1  und  2  .122 
Die  Verhandlungcn   des  Zwolftcn 

Deutschen  Evangelischen  Kirehen- 

t.ages  61 

Wallman,  T.  C.   Leiden  und  Freudon 

Rheiniseheu  Missioniiro  .  .  .62 
Zeitschrift  fiir  die  gesammte  Luther- 

ische  Theologie  und  Kirche      .    .  123 


Zeitschrift  fiir  Histori.sche  Theologie 
von  Niodner,  1863.    Hefte  1  und  2  123 


NARRATIVE 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH 


MARCH  2,  1863. 


THE  UNITED  KINGDOM. 


The  diocese  of  London  increases  annually  hy  about 
40,000  souls.  The  rate  of  increase  in  the  early  years 
of  the  present  ceutury  was  uo  doubt  less  tlian  this, 
but  it  was  great,  and  it  was  little  noticed  by  Christian 
meu.  As  an  instance  of  this,  we  may  mention,  that 
Thomas  Scott,  living  in  London  at  the  end  of  the  last 
century,  had  his  attention  so  little  called  to  parochial 
work  that  he  found  his  time  unoccupied,  and  to  avoid 
idleness,  began  his  well-known  commentarj".  Even 
long  afterwards,  when  Mr.  D.  Wilson  (afterwards  Bp. 
of  Calcutta),  on  becoming  vicar  of  Islington,  proposed 
to  build  three  new  churclies  for  a  population  already 
numbering  30,000,  there  were  some  among  his  frienc's, 
who  told  liim  'that  it  was  not  the  cages  that  were 
wanted,  but  the  singing  birds.' 

In  some  places,  indeed,  there  is  little  difficulty  in 
the  work  of  Chm-ch  extension.  There  are  some 
neiglibourhoods  chiefly  composed  of  the  residences  of 
the  rich,  both  in  the  town  and  in  the  suburbs.  In 
these  cases  fashion,  and  education,  and  wealth  combine 
with  an  acknowledged  duty  to  facilitate  the  erection  of 
churches.  It  is  even  understood  to  be  a  good  invest- 
ment of  capital  by  a  landown(!r  or  builder  to  provide 
church  accommodation  for  the  occupants  of  his  new 
houses.  But  in  other  parts  the  increase  of  the  popu- 
lation is  entirely  of  the  poorer  classes  ;  and  the  constant 
deterioration  of  certain  parts  of  the  town,  by  the 
removal  of  the  rich,  causes  an  increase  of  numbers, 
with  a  decrease  in  the  means  of  supplying  their  .spiritual 
needs.  It  is  in  these  district.s,  therefore,  that  the  main 
efforts  for  church  extension  are  required. 

We  shall  mention  a  few  of  the  agencies  wliich  are  at 
work  for  remedying  the  evil,  and  point  out  what  hopes 
we  have  of  its  being  overcome. 

1.  The  diocese  being  divided  into  rural  deaneries, 
each  containing  from  ten  to  twenty  ecclesiastical 
districts,  it  has  been  of  late  attempted  to  form  associ- 
ations of  clergy  and  laity  in  the  rural  deaneries  for 
diocesan  pm-poses.  In  some  cases,  where  [wor  and  rich 
districts  ai'c  united  in  the  same  rural  deanery,  su(^h 
associations  have  been  able  to  do  something  towards 
I  abating  the  needs  of  tliose  within  tlieir  own  borders  ; 
as,  for  instance,  in  the  rural  deanery  of  Ealing,  where 
an  association  of  this  kind  has  erected  an  iron  churoli 


in  the   poor  district  of  Brentford,  and  supports  the  j 
officiating  minister.    The  work,  of  such  associations 
has  but  recently  commenced,  but  it  admits  of  gi-eat 
expansion. 

2.  The  London  Diocesan  Home  Mission,  established 
in  1867,  starts  with  the  recognition  of  the  fact  that  | 
there  arc  vast  masses  of  persons  whom  the  ordinary  ■ 
parochial  machinery  cannot  reach,  and  who  need  to  be  1 
drawn  back  to  the  clnu'ch  by  missionary  efforts.    It  | 
employs  ordained  clergymen  of  the  Church  of  England, 
to  whom  large  districts  are  a,^signed,  and  who  labour, 
with  the  consent  of  the  incumbents  of  the  parishes 
composing  those  districts,  amongst  the  masses  of  the 
poor.    By  preaching  in  rooms  or  in  the  open  air,  by  1 
special  services  in  the  churches,  by  visiting  the  poor  in  f 
their  homes,  by  distributing  tracts,  by  any  means 
which  may  give  a  prospect  of  success,  they  endeavour  | 
to   reach  them ;   the   ultimate   object   being,  after 
collecting  a  congregation,  to  build  a  church  and  or-  [ 
ganise  parochial  institutions.    We  may  give  as  an 
instance  of  success  in  this  work  the  case  of  the  Mission  | 
at  Depfford,  where  a  mass  of  working  men  have  been 
drawn  together  at  a  place  called  the  Saw  Mills,  and 
where  it  is  hoped  that  a  Mission  chapel  may  shortly  be 
erected.    There  are  at  present  eight  missionaries  in  the 
employment  of  the  society.    It  is  thought  that  as 
many  as  100  might  work  with  great  advantage  in  the 
diocese. 

3.  The  Diocesan  Church  Building  Society  in  designed 
not  only  to  assist  in  building  churches,  but  also  to 
provide  in  general  for  tlieir  establishment.  In  neigh- 
bourhoods in  wliich  population  is  rapidlj-  increasing,  it 
purchases  a  site  for  a  diurch;  and  occasionally  erects 
an  iron  temporary  church,  and  jilaces  a  dergj-man 
there  with  a  view  to  the  future  establishment  of  a  full 
parochial  .system,  and  the  building  of  a  permanent 
clnn-cli.  This  society,  which  M'as  foundetl  by  Bishop  ' 
Blomfield,  is  by  far  the  largest  of  the  Diocesan  , 
Societies,  and  has  been  most  effective  in  suggesting,  as 
well  as  assisting,  the  work  of  church-extension.  j 

4.  The  Additional  ('urates'  Society,  the  Pa.storalAid  i 
Society,  and  tlie  Scripturi^  Readers'  Association,  though  I 
embracing  other  dioceses,  yet  render  so  much  assistance 
to  the  clergy  of  Loudon  that  no  statement  of  the  work 

It 


2 


WORK  OF  THE  CIIRISTLIN  CHURCH. 


March  2,  1803. 


of  this  diocese  -would  be  complete  which  omitted  them. 
In  parishes  which  are  large  and  poorly  endowed,  these 
societies  supply  the  services  of  assist.ant  curates  and  of 
scripture  readers,  without  whom  tlie  best  efforts  of  the 
incumbent  would  be  unavailing. 

In  Bethn;d  Green,  where  ten  new  churches  were 
erected  through  the  exertions  of  Bishop  Blomfield,  it  is 
stated,  by  those  who  had  practical  experience  of  the  work- 
ing out  of  the  scheme,  that  at  the  erection  of  the  first  of 
those  churches  the  people  looked  on  with  indifference 
and  even  suspicion  ;  but  that  on  the  last  occasion  thoy 
evinced  a  hearty  interest  iu  the  work.  And  the  ex- 
perience of  clergymen  generally  is  to  the  effect  that  the 
poor  look  upon  those  who  labour  for  their  spiritual 
good  as  their  friends,  and  respond  in  due  time  to 
the  efforts  to  bring  them  under  the  influence  of  truth. 

As  to  church  building,  the  difficulty  is  that  of  making 
up  the  arrears  of  former  generations  ;  and  this  will 
probably  still  be  felt  while  the  town  continues  to 
spread  at  its  present  rate.  We  hear,  however,  that 
a  great  effort  is  about  to  be  made  by  the  Diocesan 
Church  Building  Society  to  induce  the  landowners  and 
great  employers  of  labour  to  provide  an  adequate 
parochial  machinery  to  embrace  the  whole  of  the  poor 
population.  To  that  effort  we  shaU  call  attention 
hereafter. 

The  endowment  of  Churches  is  a  subject  which 
is  exciting  great  attention  in  looking  to  the  future. 
It  is  very  seldom  that  it  is  provided  for.  In  the  richer 
districts  the  pew  rents  form  a  sufficient  provision.  We 
hear  it  reported  that  the  Ecclesiastical  Commissioners 
have  resolved  to  intervene  in  the  most  difficult  cases,  and 
it  is  expected  that  they  will  ere  long  be  able,  from  the 
common  fund  of  the  Cliurch  Estates,  to  raise  each 
benefice  which  has  more  than  10,000  souls,  to  300/. 
a  year.  There  are  more  than  80  such  parishes  in  the 
diocese. 

The  Congregational  body  liave  raised  nearly  200,000/. 
by  their  Bicentenary  movement,  for  the  building  of 
chapels  and  the  establishment  of  new  interests,  as  well 
as  the  erection  of  a  Memorial  Hall  in  London.  The 
English  Congregational  Cliapel-Buikling  Society  reports 
that  '  no  fewer  than  300  memorial  cliapels  have  been 
opened,  commenced,  or  projected  to  be  completed  by 
the  end  of  1864,'  and  the  London  Congregational 
Chapel-Building  Society  reports  that  they  have  been 
enabled  to  extend  the  interests  of  the  denomination 
material!}-  in  London. 

The  Loudon  Congregational  Association  has  just  held 
its  annual  meeting,  from  which  it  appears  that  the  so- 
ciety has  modified  its  plans  uuder  the  present  secretarj'^s 
management  (Rev.  J.  H.  Wilson),  so  as  to  est;iblish  ten 
district  unions  in  the  ten  postal  districts  of  the  metropo- 
lis ;  each  union  to  be  represented  by  its  secretary  and 
treasurer  in  the  general  committee,  wliich  would  thus 
exist  as  a  centrid  power,  and  work  through  the  local 
associations.  The  report  revealed  a  startling  amount 
of  spiritual  destitution,  1)utalso  showed  that  there  never 
was  more  done  in  London  for  the  evangehsation  of  the 
masses  than  at  the  present  moment  by  every  denomina- 
tion of  Christians.  The  statistics  of  church  and  chapel 
building  in  the  reportj-showed  that  there  are  nowan  equal 
nmnber  of  chiu-ches  and  cliapels  in  London :  namely, 
400  churches  and  400  chapels  belonging  to  the  Protes- 
tant denomination.  The  increase  has  been  as  follows 
during  tJie  ten  years  from  1851  to  1861 : — 
1  .    


1851.      1861.  Increase. 

Churches  registered  .       .    350         400  50 

Chapels  registered  .  .  311  400  89 
of  which  increase  the  CongregationaUsts  had  provided 
40  chapels;  Baptists,  17;  the  United  Presbj^terians,  4; 
the  Wesleyans,  1 1 ;  and  various  other  bodies  the  re- 
mainder. But  the  Roman  Catholics  had  increased 
from  21  chapels  in  1851,  with  50  priests,  to  34  chapels, 
with  80  priests,  in  1861  ;  the  increase  being  chiefly 
through  the  importation  of  Irish  labourers,  who  are 
employed  on  the  new  buddings  of  London. 

The  London  Association  have  appointed  four  evan- 
gelists, and  are  establishing  district  Missions  in  diffe- 
rent localities. 

The  Home  Missionary  Society,  whose  object  is  to 
preach  the  gospel  among  the  spiritually  destitute  parts 
of  England,  has  been  extending  its  agency,  and,  as 
appears  from  its  last  quarterly  report,  has  now  160 
agents  and  evangelists,  being  an  increase  of  fifty  evan- 
gelists in  two  years.  These  evangelists  are  generally 
pious,  intelligent,  devoted  working  men,  who  receive  a 
salary  of  60/.  and  70/.  a  year,  two-thirds  being  raised  in 
the  localities  where  they  labour  by  country  associations 
cooperating  with  the  Home  Missionary  Society,  which 
pays  the  other  third.  They  are  under  approved  local 
superintendence,  and  visit  seven  hours  a  day,  besides 
holding  cottage  prayer-meetings,  open-air  meetings  in 
the  summer,  and  otherwise  sjireading  the  truths  of  the 
gospel. 

A  very  remarkable  revival  has  taken  place  at  seyerid 
of  the  mission  stations  of  the  society.  At  one  in 
Sussex,  special  services  were  held  for  nearly  two 
months,  and  the  chapel  came  to  be  so  crowded,  and  the 
numbers  of  people  iiriproved  so  greatly,  that  the  assist- 
ance of  other  bretliren  from  neighbouring  churches  had 
to  be  obtained.  In  Somerset,  also,  there  have  been 
special  services ;  and  in  Norfolk  remarkable  results  have 
attended  the  labours  of  some  of  those  agencies. 

A  conference  meeting  of  representatives  of  Con- 
gregational churches  was  held  at  Brighton  on  Feb. 
10th;  Samuel  Morley,  Esq.,  of  London,  in  the  chair ; 
when  resolutions  were  passed  declarative  of  an  earnest 
determination  to  promote  with  increased  vigour  the 
cause  of  home  evangelisation  in  the  country. 

A  special  public  meeting  of  the  friends  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  was  held  recently  in  Freemasons' 
Hall.  The  Earl  of  Shaftesbury  presided,  and  the 
object  was  to  consider  the  present  position  and  require- 
ments of  the  mission  in  Madagascar.  Dr.  Tidman,  the 
secretar}',  spoke  most  cordially  of  the  spirit  displayed 
by  the  Bishop  of  Mauritius  in  his  recent  visit  to  Mada- 
gascar in  relation  to  the  London  Mission.  His  inter- 
view with  Mr.  Ellis  had  been  kind  and  fraternal,  and 
it  had  been  mutually  agreed  that  '  in  any  efforts  made 
by  the  Church  Missionary  Society  or  the  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  both  of  which  he  repre- 
.sented,  the  agents  which  these  institutions  might  send 
forth  slundd  occupy  some  of  those  wide  fields  of  igno- 
rance and  heathenism  yet  uncultivated  ;  that  no  collision 
or  interference  shoidd  occur  between  our  brethren  and 
the  new  labourers,  but  that  they  shoidd  pursue  their 
several  operations  in  the  spirit  of  mutual  goodwill  and 
fraternal  regard.  In  accordance  with  this  mutual  un- 
derstanding, the  Church  Missionary  Society  is  about  to 
send  out  two  devoted  labourers  to  Madagascar,  and  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  tho  Gospel  has  adopted 


Maech  2,  1863. 


WORK  OF  TIIE  CHRISTIAN  CimRCn. 


3 


a.  resolution  to  the  same  effect.    In  these  arrangements 
the  Directors  of  the  Society  most  cordially  concurred. 
They   could    not    hope,  in    addition    to    all  their 
other  extended  labours,  .so  to  increase  the  number 
of  their  missionaries  in  Madagascar  as  to  meet  the 
wants  of  neaHy  five  million  souls,  of  whom  the 
greater  part  are  still  under  the  influence  of  dark 
and  degrading  superstitions ;  and  they  rejoiced  there- 
fore that  other  labourers  were  about  to  be  sent  forth 
into  this  wide  and  long-neglectcd  field,  and  were  ready 
to  bid  them  God-speed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  But, 
with  equal  surprise  and  regret,  they  hare  more  recently 
learned  tliat  efforts  are  making  to  form  a  new  society, 
■under  the  highest  ecclesiastical  patronage,  especially  with 
the  design  of  sending  out  a  bishop  and  six  missionary 
clergymen  to  Madagascar.    It  is  proposed,  not  that  the 
agents  of  the  intended  institution  should  occupy  those 
populous  districts  which  lie  on  the  coast,  or  in  the 
interior  remote  from  the  capital ;  but  that  they  .should 
make  the  capital  itself  the  centre  and  basis  of  their 
operations.    It  must  be  concluded  that  at  least  several 
of  the  distinguished  prelates  who  have  given  the  sanction 
of  their  names  to  this  project  have  been  unacquainted 
with  the  fact  that  the  London  Missionary  Society 
commenced  its  labours  in  the  island  between  forty  and 
fifty  years  ago,  and  that  the  results  have  been  so  wonder- 
ful and  blessed  ;  for  the  printed  statement  to  which  their 
names  are  prefixed,  referring  to  last  year,  only  states 
that  '  the  French  Romish  missionaries  and  the  London 
Missionary  Society  have  already  commenced  operations ' 
— a  representation,  although  wc  doubt  not  undesignedly, 
calculated  to  conceal  the  facts  and  to  mislead  the  reader. 
Against  the  proposed  measure,  and  especially  the  manner 
in  which  it  is  intended  to  be  carried  out,  the  Directors  of 
the  Society  enter  their  most  decided  and  solemn  protest. 
It  is  in  direct  opposition  to  that  good  understanding  and 
catholic  spirit  which  have  been  invariably  maintained 
by  the   Protestant  Missionary  institutions   both  of 
Britain  and  of  all  other  countries.    Hitherto  they  have 
endeavoured  to  keep  the  'unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond 
of  peace,'  by  acting  upon  the  wise  counsel  of  Abraham 
to  his  kinsmen,  '  Let  there  be  no  strife,  I  pray  thee, 
between  me  and  tlieo,  and  between  my  herdmen  and 
thy  herdmen.     Is  not  the  whole  land  before  thee  ? 
Separate  thyself,  I  pray  thee,  from  me :  if  thou  wilt 
take  the  left  hand,  then  I  will  go  to  the  right ;  or  if 
thou  depart  to  the  right  hand,  then  I  will  go  to  the 
left.'  The  new  course  of  intended  operation  is  pregnant 
witlj  danger  and  mischief,  and  cannot  fail  to  give 
occasion  to  the  Romish  missionaries  to  make  the 
apparent  rivalry  and  strife  of  their  Protestant  oppo- 
nents subservient  to  their  own  (lurposos  and  policy.  In 
the  capital,  consisting  at  the  utmost  of  not  more  than 
40,000  inhabitants,  there  will  .shortly  bo  eleven  English 
mi.s.sionarie.s,  agents  of  this  Society,  besides  a  goodly 
band  of  native  pastors  and  cat4'ohists.  This  field,  tli(;re- 
fore,  with  the  surrounding  country,  wiU  bo  adequately 
preoecupit'd,    wliile   wide-spread  deserts  will  remain 
without  a  solitary  labourer.    Such  an  intrusion  as  that 
contemplated  stinds  strangely  in  contrast  with  the 
example  of  that  great  missionary  who  testified,  '  Yea, 
so  have  I  strived  to  preach  the  Gospel  not  where 
Christ  is  named,  lest  I  should  build  upon  anotlier 
man's  found.ation  ;  but,  as  it  is  written,  To  wliom  He 
was  not  spokfni  of  they  shall  see ;  and  they  that  have 
not  heard  shall  understand.'    If  it  be  intended  by  an 
episcopal  and  clerical  appointment  to  ignore  the  mis- 


sionary labours  of  our  brethren,  and  practically  to 
deny  the  Scriptural  character  of  their  ministry,  then, 
without  attempting  to  vindicate  themselves  by  argu- 
ment, they  may  be  content  to  appeal  to  the  enlightened 
and  Christianised  thousands  of  Madagascar,  and  say, 
'Ye  are  our  epistles,  written  in  our  hearts,  known  and 
read  of  all  men.  Forasmuch  as  ye  are  manifestly  de- 
clared to  be  the  epistle  of  Christ,  ministered  by  ua, 
written  not  with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit  of  the  living 
God  ;  not  in  tables  of  stone,  but  in  fleshly  tables  of  the 
heart.'  But,  should  remonstrance  prove  in  vain,  and 
this  measure  of  aggression  be  carried  into  effect,  although 
the  directors  would  most  deeply  deplore  it,  they  would 
nevertheless  most  earnestly  exhort  their  missionary 
brethren  to  'leave  off  contention  before  it  is  meddled 
with,'  and  '  by  pureness,  by  knowledge,  by  long-suffer- 
ing, by  kindness,  by  the  Holy  Gho.st,  by  love  unfeigned, 
by  the  word  of  truth,  by  the  power  of  God,  by  the 
armour  of  righteousness  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the 
left,'  to  '  make  fuU  proof  of  their  ministry,  and  adorn 
the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things.' 

The  Chairman  spoke  at  length  strongly  against  the 
proposed  measure.  '  I  am  certain,'  he  said,  '  that  there 
are  persons  whose  names  are  on  that  list  who,  if  they 
wore  acquainted  with  the  state  of  things  in  Mada- 
gascar, with  what  has  been  done,  what  is  doing,  and 
what  is  in  preparation,  would  no  more  think  of  dis- 
turbing the  operations  of  this  noble  body  than  they 
woidd  think  of  upsetting  the  Church  of  England  and 
spreading  disorder  in  all  the  parishes  of  this  country. 
I  am  afraid,  too,  that  it  will  introduce  a  new  principle 
that  may  be  subversive  of  all  harmony,  and  act  most 
injuriously  upon  missionary  operations  in  general 
There  has  been  hitherto  recognised  among  all  mission- 
aries in  the  Protestant  denomination  a  kind  of  courtesy 
that  they  should  not  interfere  one  with  another,  unless 
it  could  be  proved  that  a  field  was  shamefully  ill- 
worked,  or  that  there  were  heretical  doctrines  taught, 
or  that  mischief  was  being  done  instead  of  good.  As 
to  interfering  one  with  another,  thrusting  yourself  into 
another  man's  vineyard,  not  attending  to  your  own,  but 
ever  .spying  out  what  your  neighbour  is  doing — that  is 
contrary  to  the  received  principle  of  missionary  opera- 
tions ;  it  is  contrary  to  acknowledged  courtesies.' 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Martin,  the  Rev.  "W.  ^rthur,  M.A., 
the  Rev.  W.  B.  Mackenzie,  and  others,  took  part  in  the 
proceedings. 

The  two  Houses  of  Convocation  met  on  Wednesday, 
Fob.  11th.  In  the  Lower  House,  Archdeacon  Denison 
moved  that  an  address  bo  sent  to  the  Upper  House 
praying  it  to  direct  tlio  appointment  of  a  committee  to 
examine  and  report  on  Bishop  Colenso's  book  on  the 
Pentateuch.  In  supporting  his  motion,  he  rested  his 
claim  for  such  enquiry  on  the  denial  of  tlie  truth  of  the 
Holy  Scripture,  and  more  especially  upon  tlie  impugn- 
ing the  authority  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesu.s  Clirist, 
p(!rfect  God  and  perfect  Man.  He  considered  that  the 
book  having  been  published  within  the  province  of 
Canterbury,  it  was  incunilient  on  the  Convocation  to 
institute  an  enquiry.  Dr.  McCaul  animadverted 
severely  upon  Dr.  Colenso's  statement  of  his  inability  to 
ordain  an  intelligent  native  because  he  must  sign  the 
formularies  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  yet  remain- 
ing in  that  Church.  After  quoting  the  passage  he  said, 
'So  ho  himself  admits,  that  upon  his  principles,  no  one 
can  be  ordaimxl  upon  the  present  formularies  of  the 


4 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


March  2,  1863. 


Churcli  of  England  ■without  uttering  a  falsehood. ;  and 
yet  he  himself  continiies  in  the  office.'    He  held  that 
this  concerned  the  spiritual  welfare — the  very  existence 
of  the  Church  of  England,  as  she  could  not  get  candi- 
dates for  Orders  if  their  minds  were  poisoned  at  the 
fountain  head.    '  I  am  sure,'  he.  said,  '  that  the  very 
existence  of  the  Church  of  England  depends  upon  the 
clergy  and  laity  of  the  Church  repudiating  all  sueli 
doctrines.    We  are  founded  upon  the  "Word  of  God 
Himself,  and  His  words  are  our  rock.    When  we  leave 
that  Rock,  we  liave  no  foundation.    I  am  convinced 
that  the  straightforward,  honest,  practical  mind  of  the 
people  of  England  will  never  consent  to  have  a  clergy 
of  hypocrites  teaching  from  their  pulpits  what  they 
do  not  believe  in  their  hearts.'     Archdeacon  Honj- 
questioned  the  powers  of  the  Hou.se,  and  thought 
that   they  would  be    in    perpetual   controversy,  if 
they  were  to  take  up  cases  of  heresy.    The  Dean  of 
Canterbury,  in  seconding  an  amendment  to  the  effect 
that  the  House  respectfully  request  the  Upper  House 
to  take  counsel  as  to  the  wisest  and  most  legal  mode  of 
proceeding,  said,   '  I  am  in   agreement  with  Arch- 
deacon Denison  with  regard  to  the  book  itself,  and 
with  regard  to  the  perilous  position  which  we  are  in 
with  respect  to  it ;  and  I  also  feel  very  much  what 
was  said  by  the  mover  and  seconder  of  the  amendment. 
I  think  the  course  proposed  by  Professor  Browne  is  by 
far  the  best,  for  this  reason — that  if  we  take  the  course 
proposed  by  Archdeacon  Denison,  we  ought  to  do  a 
great  deal  more.    We  ought  in  this  case  to  petition 
the  Upper  House  for  the  appointment  of  a  standing 
committee  to  consider  books  supposed  to  contain  hereti- 
cal opinions.    Then  comes  the  question,  is  it  desirable 
that  Convocation  sliould  have  such  a  committee?  If 
we  had,  it  would  lead  us  into  a  course  which,  I  think, 
the  house  woidd  pause  licfore  it  embarked  upon,  and 
that  is,  to  liave  an  expurgatorial  committee.'  Dr. 
Jebb  said  that  the  two  propositions  in  tliis  book  stated 
by  Archdeacon  Denison  are  at  the  root  of  all  heresy, 
and  would  lead  us,  not  to  a  state  of  deism,  but  to  a 
state  of  utter  atheism.    If  we  are  to  hold  the  doctrines 
of  this  book,  wo  should  soon  doubt  the  existence  of  God 
himself.    Therefore  I  contend  that  it  is  our  duty  as  a 
synod  to  pronounce  not  an  opinion,  as  it  would  be  in 
the  case  of  a  private  or  an  unauthoritative  sentiment, 
but  what  is  an  official  judgement  on  this  book.  Allu- 
'  sion  has  been  made  to  the  incompetency  of  Convocation 
to  do  so  —  that  we  are  but  imperfectly  constituted. 
With  all  submission  to  those  who  use  this  argument,  I 
contend  that  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  case.  Take 
the  lowest  a.spect.    AVe  are  an  assembly  of  clergymen, 
and  even  if  we  had  no  liigher  authority,  if  we  liad 
no  recognised  ecclesiastical  constitution,  but  were  a 
mere  voluntary  assembly,  I  think   it  would  be  al- 
most a  shrinking  from  our  duty  not  to  express  our 
opinion.       And   I   mu.st  be  permitted    to    say  it 
woiUd  be  sometliing  like  a  desertion  of  our  position. 
If  the  examination  of  questions  of  this  sort  is  not  part 
of  the  service  we  are  bound  to  render  to  our  Lord  Jesus 
Clirist,  whose  name  has  been  so  directly  assailed  in  this 
abominable  publication — if  this  be  not  part  of  our 
duty,  I  do  not  know  wliat  our  duty  is.    For  my  own 
part,  I  would  rather  see  this  Synod  dissolved  than  that 
our  time  shoidd  be  taken  up  on  what  are,  in  compari- 
son, mere  matters  of  detail.    If  we  are  to  proceed  with 
them  after  we  have  rejected  such  a  matter  as  this,  I 
shoidd  not  care  about  our  meeting  at  all.    I  should 


deem  it  paltry  even  to  proceed  with  the  question  of  the 
Episcopate  if  we  were  to  allow  a  member  of  the  Epis- 
copate not  only  to  hold  pernicious  doctrines,  but  to 
indulge  in  the  abnegation  of  Christianity.  If  we  are 
deprived  of  the  power  of  deciding  on  such  questions,  I 
should  say  the  synod  would  be  dead.  It  would  be  a 
deliberative  assembly  for  the  purpose  of  adjusting 
certain  portions  of  the  machine  of  the  Church,  while 
the  Chui'ch  had  become  a  lifeless  machine,  without  any 
fire  within,  or  any  principle  of  good  in  it ;  and  I 
should  say  that  those  details  woidd  be  more  mischievous 
to  the  Church  than  useful  to  it,  because  to  the  country 
we  should  appear  to  bo  doing  some  business,  when  in 
point  of  fact  that  which  was  most  essential  we  were  leav- 
ing undone.  Prof  H.  Browne  did  not  think  the  subject 
one  for  the  consideration  of  Convocation,  or  that  Con- 
vocation would  do  any  good  in  the  matter.  '  I  think,' 
he  said,  '  it  is  a  fallacy  to  suppose  that  the  laity — the 
fathers  of  families,  and  the  hard-handed  mechanics,  of 
whom  so  much  has  been  said — are  likely  to  attach 
much  weight  to  our  decision.  Wliat  they  want  to  know 
is,  whetlier  these  things  which  Bishop  Colenso  asserts 
are  true  or  false.  They  want  to  know  whether  these 
arithmetical  questions,  which  are  just  tho.se  wliich  they 
can  understand,  have  any  foundation,  or  whether  it  can 
be  shown  that  they  are  in  error;  but  they  will  not 
attend  to  the  mere  censure  of  150  clergymen  gathered 
together  in  the  Jerusalem  Chamber.  The  tone  of  the 
present  day  is  not  that  of  deference  to  the  authority 
of  tlic  clergy.  No  doubt  the  individual  clergyman,  if 
ho  has  won  the  confidence  of  his  people,  will  command 
great  respect  amongst  them  ;  but  the  opinion  of  Convo- 
cation, as  such,  would  not  have  the  weight  of  a  feather.' 
Archdeacon  Denison,  in  his  reply,  referred  to  the 
statement  of  Professor  Browne,  concluding  with  great 
earnestness:  'One  more  word.  I  confess  I  listened 
with  pain  to  what  foil  from  Professor  Browne  about 
our  being  guided  by  the  state  of  public  opinion. 
Authority  has  been  committed  to  the  hands  of  the 
Church  for  the  express  purpose  of  the  people  being 
guided  by  it.  "Eejirove,  acbnonish,  rebuke,  vrith  all 
authority;  let  no  man  despise  thee."  I  listened, 
therefore,  with  pain  to  hear  it  said  there  was  a  sort 
of  revolt  against  the  opinion  of  the  Church  on  the 
part  of  the  public.  If  there  be,  that  is  the  reason  to 
apply  ourselves  to  correct  that  feeling.  It  is  the  boast 
of  the  Church  of  England  that  she  has  an  open  Bible  ; 
but  it  was  never  meant  by  that  to  say  that  the  Bible 
was  open  for  any  sacrilegious  person,  much  less  a 
Bishop  of  the  Church,  to  damage  it  by  misrepresen- 
tation, to  tear  out  its  leaves,  to  nuitilate  it,  to  desecrate 
what  was  left,  and  then  to  say  that  those  who  object 
to  what  is  stated  must  refute  it.  I  am  for  doing  that 
which  is  our  duty.  I  am  for  maintaining  that  trust 
which  God  has  committed  to  us,  and  for  upholding 
that  faith  which  He  has  intrusted  to  our  keeping. 
I  am  going  to  say  if  any  man  asserts  such  things 
as  are  ass^ted  in  this  book — anathema  esto — ("No, 
no  ! ") — let  him  be  put  away.  I  am  using  the  word 
anathema  in  its  true  sense,  and  those  who  say 
"No!"  will,  I  am  sure  recollect  the  Articles  of  our 
own  Church  :  "And  if  any  man  believe  not  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  anathema  inaranaiha."  I 
desire  not  to  revive  anything  that  savours  of  Romish 
practices,  but  I  am  not  prepared  to  give  up  what  the 
Church  has  borne  testimony  to  herself  I  say  that  we 
rejoice  in  this  open  Bible — the  book  of  God's  Word 


MARcn  2,  1803. 


WORK  OF  THE  CIIRISTLVX  CHURCH. 


5 


to  be  laid  before  God's  people  ;  but  if  its  leaves  are  to 
be  torn  out,  if  its  moaning  is  to  be  perverted  and  de- 
stroyed, and  that  by  a  bishop  of  our  Church,  and  we,  the 
Synod  of  the  Province  of  Canterbury,  are  to  hold  our 
peace  and  say  nothing,  then,  although  I  never  have 
been  one  who  despaired  of  the  Church,  I  should  fold 
my  hands  and  bow  my  head,  and  go  forth  from  this 
room,  feeling  that  it  was  impossible  anything  I  could 
ever  again  do  here  would  have  the  blessing  of  God 
upon  it. 

The  motion  was  carried  by  a  large  majority.    On  its 
being  brought  before  the  Upper  House,  the  Bishop  of 
London,  after  referring  to  the  wide-spread  doubts  as 
to  the  hi.itoric  accuracy  of  the  books  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment,   said:— 'They  have  to  deal  justly  with  the 
author  of  the  book.    They  have  to  deal  as  men  ought 
to  deal  with  it  who  are  zealous  for  the  maintenance  of 
that  truth  which  tlie  Church  has  handed  down,  and  they 
have  also  very  carefully  to  consider  what  the  effects  of 
this  particular  mode  of  dealing  with  it  may  be  upon 
those  young  men  who  more  or  less  sympathise,  if  not 
with  the  author  of  this  book,  yet  with  certain  opinions 
which  are  supposed  to  have  more  or  less  connection 
with  the  opinions  of  the  author  of  this  book.  The 
I   clergy  generally,  some  of  them  at  least,  may  be  not 
I   unlikely — I  say  it  with  the  decjjest  respect — to  allow 
j   their  zeal  to  get  the  better  of  their  discretion  in  their 
I   desire  to  drive  away  all  erroneous  and  strange  doctrine. 
I   To  illustrate  what  I  moan,  I  would  look  for  a  moment 
j   to  that  best  way  of  driving  away  eiToneous  and  strange 
doctrine — namely,  by  sound  argument  which  sliall  con- 
fute the  gainsayers.    Now,  it  never  would  do  to  li  t  the 
clergy  generally  tIirough(jut  the  whole  kingdom  sup- 
pose that  it  was  the  duty  of  every  one  of  them  to 
plunge  into  argiiment  because  they  are  bound  to  drive 
away  all  erroneous  and  strange  doctrine,  to  intro- 
duce into  their  pulpits  discussions  on  very  intricate 
unsettled  questions,  respecting  which  it  may  often 
turn  out  that,  not  from  any  lack  of  strength  in 
the  cause,  but  from  lack  of  experience  or  wisdom  in 
the  advocate,  tlie  worse  side  may  appear  to  have  the 
better  of  the  argument.    It  was  only  yesterday  that  I 
received  a  packet  containing  a  number  of  advertise- 
ments, selected  from  the  uewsjiapers,  of  sermons  against 
Bisliop  Colenso's  book,  whicli  were  to  be  had  for  a 
moderate  .sum,  to  be  preaclied  in  the  various  pulpits 
]   throughout  the  kingdom.    Of  course  this  is  a  mere 
1   insult  to  the  clergy,  and  very  probably  the  advertise- 
ments were  inserted  in  the  new.spapers  by  some  person 
!   who  had  no  such  .'icrmons  to  dispose  of,  but  who  wished 
to  represent  the  clergy  in  an  invidious  light.  But  .still 
it  points  to  an  obvious  danger  that  persons  not  well 
qualified  for  the  office  may  think  it  necessary  to  step 
forth  from  the  ranks,  when  their  .strength  is  not  equal 
to  the  office  of  champion  which  they  choose  for  them- 
j    selves.    I'orlunately  in  this  matter  there  is  a  distinct 
j   spliero  in  \ihich  all  our  clergy  may  employ  themselves 
for  the  good  of  the  people,  in  answering  dangerous 
opinions,  whieli  are  likely  to  be  much  discussed  througli- 
out  the  Chnrcli.     For  instance,  with  regard  to  this 
book,  the  antidote  to  it  wliich  is  most  wanted  is  the 
upholding  of  the  positive  proofs  of  the  genuineness 
and  autlienticity  and  insjiii-ation  of  tile  Sacred  Volume, 
which  may  well  be  brought  forward  without  much  con- 
troversy, and  without  the  sliglitest  mention  of  the  book 
against  wliieh  they  are  directed.    To  build  up  tlieir 
people  in  their  lioly  failh,  to  give  them  that  posi- 


tive part  of  the  Christian  faith  that  shows  the  i 
Di^-ine  Spirit  breathing  through  the  Bible  —  such 
arguments  may  bo  treated  incidentally  by  all  our 
clergy,  but  it  would  be  very  much  to  be  deprecated 
if  uninformed  and  untrained  persons  were  to  think 
it  their  duty  to  plungo  into  direct  controversy.  He 
referred  to  the  inconvenience  which  might  be  occa- 
sioned by  the  case  coming  before  the  Archbishop,  after- 
wards as  judge,  if  it  were  now  prejudiced,  and  concluded 
by  saying,  that  while  he  thought  it  might  be  right  for  j 
the  heads  of  the  Church  temperately  and  quietly  to  | 
intimate  that  they  were  alive  to  the  danger  of  the  book,  | 
being  anxious  to  discourage  all  unnecessary  excitement, 
all  rash  treatment  of  the  question  at  issue,  and,  above 
all,  any  petty  and  vexatious  annoyance  of  the  author 
of  the  book,  which  could  only  result  in  greatly  enlisting 
the  sympathies  of  the  country  on  his  side,  he  must 
oppose  the  granting  of  the  prayer  of  the  address.  '  I 
wish,'  he  said,  'to  express  an  anxious  hope  and  expec- 
tation, that  whatever  is  done  may  be  so  done  as  to 
allay  the  natural  anxiety  of  the  country — that  we  shall 
consider  tenderly  the  feelings  of  devout  men,  who  find 
their  old  and  most  cherished  opinions  rudely  assailed, 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  we  ]>y  no  means  overlook  or 
undervalue  the  anxious  longings  of  persons  of  unsettled 
mind.' 

The  Bishop  of  St.  David's  supported  the  Bishop  of 
London's  view,  but  the  other  Bishops  present  consi- 
dered that  the  request  sliould  be  granted,  and  the 
Lower  House  was  instructed  accordingly,  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  eoneuning  cordially  with  the  i 
majoritj'.  The  Bishop  of  Oxford  was  absent  tlirough  \ 
illness. 

Various  other  matters,  including  the  Extension  of  ^ 
the  Episcopate,  Convocation  Keform,  Foreign  Chap-  i 
laincies,  and  Continental  Churches,  were  brought  be- 
fore the  Convocation. 

Dr.  Pusey,  Dr.  Heui-tley,  and  Dr.  Ogilvie,  Professors 
of  Divinity  at  Oxford,  have  instituted  a  prosecution 
against  their  brother  Professor,  Mr.  Jowett,  for  his  con- 
tribution to  the  Essai/s  and  Beviews.  The  case  is  at 
present  before  the  Vice-Chancellor's  Court.  Three 
objections  have  been  tendered  ;  that  the  Court  has  no 
jurisdiction  in  matters  merely  spiritual,  that  it  has  no 
proper  machinery  for  a  theological  prosecution,  and 
that  it  has  no  jurisdiction  over  a  Regius  Professor. 
Other  objections  of  a  more  sweeping  character  have 
been  made  Ijy  onlookers,  and  an  article  in  the  Times 
has  drawn  from  Dr.  Pusey  a  vindication  of  his  conduct. 
He  denies  that  he  has  any  <listrust  of  the  power  of 
truth  to  abide  the  most  searching  enquiry.  He  affirms 
that  the  question  is  altogether  different.  'It  is  true 
that  God's  truth  will  stand ;  but  it  is  true  also  that 
individuals,  to  their  ov.  ii  great  loss,  are  led  away  by 
their  teachers  from  it.'  He  .says  that  a  claim  has  been  j 
made  to  subscribe  the  formularies  in  senses  which  they  ' 
will  not  bear  ;  that  Professor  Jowett  has  contr.nvened 
the  teaching  of  the  Cliurch  of  England  on  great  and  | 
central  truth.«i,  yet  is  recognised  as  its  University  | 
teaclier ;  that  such  contradiction  is  dangerous  and 
intolerable.  He  protests  that  ho  was  bound  to  the 
prose<'ution  by  his  duty  'to  God,  to  the  Church,  .ind  to 
the  souls  of  men  ;'  that  the  Chancellor's  Court  was  the 
only  Cowt  open.  To  tliis  letter  Mr.  Maurice  replied, 
'  as  a  clergyman  who  has  no  theological  sympathy 
with  either  the  Professor  of  Greek  or  Professor  of 


6 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


Maech  2, 1803, 


Hebrew.'  The  claim  to  subscribe  the  formularies  in  a 
uon-natural  sense  was  made,  he  says,  not  by  Mr. 
Jowett  but  '  in  the  90th  tract  of  a  series  to  which 
Dr.  Pusey  was  a  principal  contributor.'  He  distrusts 
Mr.  Jowott's  theological  teaching ;  he  distrusts  Dr. 
Pusey's  ;  but  he  thinks  both  should  be  allowed  to  work 
together ;  that  if  either  of  these  men  should  try  to 
silence  the  other  aU  Oxford  should  resist  him.  Dr. 
Pusey  says  he  has  appealed  '  to  the  majesty  of  justice ; ' 
to  him  it  seems  he  has  appealed  to  '  a  Court  for  the 
adjudication  of  small  debts.'  He  conceives  that  in  this 
prosecution,  and  in  the  previous  proceedings  about  Mr. 
Jowett's  salary,  Dr.  Pusey  and  his  friends  have  sinned 
against  the  ordinary  obligations  between  man  and  man. 
Dr.  Pusey,  in  a  short  and  emphatic  rejoinder,  maintains 
that  neither  he  nor  Dr.  Newman  ever  sanctioned  the 
claim  to  non-natural  interpretation ;  that  it  was  not 
put  forth  in  tract  90,  but  only  on  occasion  of  tract  90  ; 
that  he  has  alwaj-s  subscribed  the  Articles  in  their 
literal,  grammatical  sense.  For  himself,  on  two  pre- 
vious occasions  he  had  demanded  that  theological 
charges  against  him  should  be  brought  to  a  legal  issue. 
He  protests  against  any  effort  to  damage  the  pro- 
secution by  raising  the  odium  thcologicmn  against  the 
prosecutors.  If  he  is  intolerant  he  sins  in  company 
with  liis  opponents;  it  is  a  question  of  degi-ee.  '  They 
would  allow  Dr.  Priestly  or  Channing  to  be  clergy  of 
the  English  Churcli,  only  not  Woolston  or  Hume.'  As 
for  the  Court,  it  is  the  only  approach  to  the  highest 
legal  Court  in  tlie  land.  Here  the  correspondence 
closes.  In  any  case  an  appeal  from  the  Oxford  Court 
is  inevitable. 

There  has  been  a  very  serious  controversy  among  the 
Congregationalists  regarding  the  last  of  the  series  of 
Congregational  lectures,  by  Professor  Godmn,  of  New 
College.  The  work  has  been  severely  criticised,  and 
the  feeUng  is  so  strong  against  it  in  many  quarters, 
from  an  impression  tliat,  in  some  of  the  fundamental 
doctrines  of  oiu"  common  faith,  Dr.  Godwin  is  defective, 
if  not  positively  erroneous,  that  the  council  of  the 
college  have  had  to  take  up  the  subject,  and  deal  with 
it ;  but  they  have  decided  by  a  majority  that  there  is 
notliing  in  tlio  book  whicli  would  warrant  them  in  con- 
cluding that  its  autlior  sliould  be  either  censured  or 
dismissed. 

An  appeal  is  pending  in  the  Jiidicial  Committee  of 
the  Privy  Council.  The  appellant  is  the  Eev.  W.  Long, 
of  Cape  Town,  who  was  suspended  and  deprived  of  his 
benefice  by  tlie  Bishop  of  Cape  Town.  The  result  will, 
it  is  expected,  determine  the  powers  of  Dr.  Graj',  as 
Metropolitan  of  South  Africa,  and  sliow  whether  he 
can  proceed  in  the  case  of  Dr.  Colenso.  The  result  is 
therefore  looked  for  witli  much  interest. 

A  meeting  of  the  Sunday  Pest  Association  took 
place  recently  in  the  lioard-room  of  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  79,  Pall-mall, — His  Grace 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  in  the  chair.  The  fol- 
lowing noblemen  and  gentlemen  were  present: — His 
Grace  the  Duke  of  Marlborough,  the  Right  Hon.  Lord 
Chelmsford,  the  Eight  Eev.  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London, 
the  Bishop  of  Winchester,  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  the 
Bishop  of  St.  A.saph ;  Lord  Claude  Hamilton,  M.P., 
Sir  Brook  Bridges,  Bart,  M.P.,  Art hiu- Mills,  Esq.,  M.P., 
Thomas  Webster,  Esq.,  the  Rev.  Canon  Jennings,  Rev. 
J.  Linjrham,  Eev.  J.  F.  Kempc,  the  Eev.  J.  Buck,  the 
Eev.  J.  Evans,  the  Rev.  .:Vlfi'ed  Jones,  Secretar}-,  and 


others.  The  object  of  the  meeting  was  to  consider 
whether  the  BUI  of  the  Sunday  Rest  Central  Committee 
of  Tradesmen  (who  were  also  present)  entitled  '  Selling, 
Hawking,  Crying,  and  Delivering  Goods  on  tlie  Lord's- 
day  Bill,'  should  be  introduced  into  the  House  of  Com- 
mons this  session.  The  opinion  of  the  meeting  was 
adverse  to  its  introduction  into  the  House  of  Commons 
without  a  good  pro.spect  of  success,  and  it  was  resolved 
to  ascertain  tlie  feeling  of  members,  and  of  the  country 
generally,  vith  a  view  to  its  speedy  introduction,  for  it 
was  felt  by  all  that  the  measure  ought  to  be  passed  as 
a  matter  of  justice  to  tradesmen  who  have  been  suffer- 
ing great  hardship  on  account  of  a  very  small  minority 
of  about  10  per  cent.,  who  perseveringly  defy  the  law. 
The  Sunday  Rest  Association  was  formed  to  help  the 
overworked  Shopkeepers  and  their  assistants  to  gain 
their  civil  right  to  rest  on  the  day  of  rest. 

The  Eomau  Catholic  Tablet  says  : — '  We  are  glad  to 
be  able  to  announce  that  the  Prison  Chaplains  Question 
is  making  pi-ogi-ess.  On  Wednesday,  Mr.  Pope  Hen- 
nessy  communicated  to  Canon  Morris,  the  Secretary  of 
the  Prison  Committee,  the  result  of  liis  interview  with 
the  Home  SocTetary.  The  Government,  it  appears, 
will  bring  in  a  Bill  early  in  the  Session.  This  Bill 
will  be  dra\TO  in  accordance  with  the  principle  laid 
down  by  Sir  George  Grey  and  Mr.  Henley  in  the  debate 
on  the  Bill  brought  in  on  behalf  of  the  Committee  last 
year.  It  will  deal  with  the  case  of  the  Dissenters,  as 
well  as  that  of  the  Catholics  ;  and  its  principal  provi- 
sions, we  believe,  will  be, — first,  authorising  the  visiting 
justices  of  county  prisons  to  appoint  Chaplains  of 
denominations  other  than  the  Established  Church, 
whenever  the  prisoners  of  any  particular  denomination 
reach  a  certain  nimiber ;  secondly,  empowering  the 
justices  to  pay  such  chaplains  out  of  the  county  rates; 
thirdly,  repealing  so  much  of  tlie  old  Prisons'  Act  as 
made  it  the  duty  of  the  Protestant  chaplain  of  each 
prison  to  visit  all  tlie  prisoners,  without  distinction  of 
creed;  and,  fourthly,  it  will  compel  the  prison  author- 
ities to  keep  a  Creed  Register.' 

The  two  new  bishops  for  Africa,  the  Eev.  W.  G. 
Tozer,  of  St.  John's  College,  Oxford,  and  the  Rev. 
Edward  Twells,  of  St.  Peter's  College,  Cambridge,  late 
incumbent  of  St.  John's,  Hammersmith,  have  been  con- 
secrated in  Westminster  Abbey,  and  proceed  imme- 
diately to  their  destinations. 

The  Speaker  has  appointed  Mr.  Charles  Merivale, 
rector  of  Lawford,  in  Essex,  and  author  of  'The  History 
of  the  Eomans  under  the  Empire,'  to  be  Chaplain  to 
the  House  of  Commons,  in  the  place  of  the  late  lamented 
Archdeacon  Drnry.  His  brother,  Mr.  Herman  Meri- 
vale, is  Under-Secretarv-  for  the  Colonies. 

On  Thursday,  February  5,  Mr.  Samuel  J.  Whitmee 
was  ordained  to  the  work  of  a  Christian  missionary  in 
connection  with  the  London  Missionarj'  Society.  The 
service  was  held  in  East  Parade  Chapel,  Leeds,  and  was 
very  numerously  attended. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Yoiuig  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association,  it  was  stated  in  the  report  that  206 
members  had  been  added  in  the  past  year.  Notice 
was  taken  of  the  meeting  of  delegates  in  the  summer. 
The  finances  were  stated  to  be  in  a  healthy  condition  ; 
the  income  of  the  year  having  been  4,000/. 

On  the  invitation  of  the  National  Club,  a  conversa- 
zione was  recently  held  to  consider  the  subject  of  the 
dwellings  of  the  poor.  Much  conversation  took  place. 
Dr.  Lankester,  Coroner  for  London,  drew  attention  to 


March  2, 1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CIIRISXrAX  CIIURCH. 


7 


the  great  evil  arising  from  the  turning  of  old  dwellings 
intended  for  one  family,  into  residences  for  six  or 
seven,  or  even  twenty  families.  Mr.  Roberts,  arcliitect 
of  many  of  the  model-lodging  house.s,  gave  examples  of 
cottages  for  the  poor  yielding'  3|,  4,  6,  and  even  6  and 
7  per  cent.  He  felt  that  builders  had  not  done  their 
duty  in  this  matter.  The  speakers  were,  besides  the 
Bishop  of  London, '  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury,  Lord 
Ebury,  Dr.  Gumming,  the  Hon.  Artljur  Kinnaird, 
M.P. 

The  Ijhrth  British  Review  gives  the  following  statis- 
tics of  the  cost  of  crime  in  England  for  1862,  the 
materials  having  been  furnished  by  the  Parliamentary 
volume  of  Judicial  Statistics : — 
Police  and  constabidary  salaries  and  ex- 
penses  £1,580.000 

Outlay  in  local  prisons  ....  430,000 
Vote  for  convict  establishments  at  home  and 

abroad   465,000 

Oiitlay  for  reformatories   ....  50,000 
Proportion  of  judges'  salaries,  and  inciden- 
tal expenses   35,000 

Supposed  real  value  of  prisoners' 
labour  (a  mere  estimate)        .  160,000 

£2,400,000 

Maintenance  of  90,800  registered  thieves, 
receivers,  tramps,  &c.,  known  or  confi- 
dently believed  to  be  \\wvag  at  large  by 
crime  and  pilfering  (at  £30  a  head,  the 
prison  cost,  probably  it  is  much  more), 
say   2,700,000 

£5,100,000 

There  is  nothing  new  or  interesting  in  the  Lenten 
Pastorals  of  the  Romish  bishops  in  Ireland;  they  have 
become  political  and  social  manifestoes ;  but  the 
narrowness  and  iteration  of  their  political  and  social 
creed,  present  no  features  of  interest.  Denunciation 
of  landlords,  laws  for  the  consumption  of  fish,  eggs, 
and  flesh,  abhorrence  of  tlie  Model  Schools  of  the 
National  Board,  exhortations  to  charity,  abuse  of 
Freemasons,  and  sympathy  with  the  Pope,  are  thrown 
together  in  these  addresses  without  regard  to  sense  or 
propriety. 

The  Churc'n  of  Ireland  has  sustained  a  serious  loss 
in  the  death  of  one  of  its  most  devoted  ministers,  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Floury.  For  twenty  years  he  has  been  identi- 
fied with  its  activity  and  progress;  and  borne  the 
esteem  of  all  Christians  by  his  noble  catholicity. 

The  Ocnoral  Synod  of  the  Scottish  Episcopal  Church 
held  its  adjourned  mo#ting  on  the  3rd  inst.  In  October 
lust,  it  will  be  remomberrd,  the  Synod,  after  a  good 
deal  of  keen  discussion,  agr<'cd  to  continue  the  Scotch 
communion  office  in  all  the  congregations  using  it, 
unless  and  until  tlio  incumbent  and  a  majority  of  the 
communicants  expressed  a  wi.sh  for  the  introduction 
of  tlie  P^nglish  so:-vice ;  it  being  provided  that  the 
English  Book  of  Common  Prayer  should  be  used  in  all 
new  congregations  which  might  be  formed.  This  reso- 
lution wiis  only  a)iproved  iis  a  t(>mporary  arrangement, 
and  the  strong  opposition  wliich  it  has  since  encountered, 
chiefly  in  the  North,  lias  made  it  necessary  for  the 
Synod  to  agree  to  a  compromise.  Accordingly,  after 
ten  days'  anxious  discussion,  they  liave  now  finallv 


determined  that  new  congregations  shall  be  at  liberty 
to  use  the  Scotch  communion  office,  if  a  majority  of 
the  applicants  express  to  tlr  Pisnop  tlieir  desire  for  it. 
This  permis.sion  is  qualified  by  a  somewhat  singular 
proviso,  to  tlie  oflFect  that,  if  it  appears  to  the  Bishop 
that  undue  influence  has  been  exercised  in  any  appli- 
cation for  the  use  of  the  Scotch  office,  it  shall  be  in  his 
power  to  refuse  such  application,  subject  to  an  appeal 
to  the  Episcopal  Synod.  At  all  consecrations,  ordina- 
tions, and  synods  the  communion  office  of  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer  is  to  be  used  ;  and  any  congregation 
may  discontinue  the  use  of  the  Scotch  office  as  soon  as 
the  incumbent  and  a  majority  of  the  congregation 
desire  to  change. 

The  accounts  and  receipts  for  Home  and  Foreign 
Missions,  for  the  year  1862,  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church,  have  just  been  published,  and  it  is  rather  re- 
markable that,  notwithstanding  the  severe  distress  that 
has  been  experienced  in  various  parts  of  the  country, 
the  amount  received  is  larger  than  during  any  former 
year.  The  following  is  an  abstract ; — Received  for 
Foreign  Missions,  21,698A  Is.  \0\d. ;  for  home  opera- 
tions, 7,092/.  lis.  0\d.  ;  Church  extension  and  supple- 
ments, 1,552/.  185.  2d.  ;  education  of  missionaries' 
children,  619/.  Is.  6(Z.  Amount  in  1862,  30,962/.  18s.  Id. 
In  round  numbers  it  may  be  stated  to  be  thirty-one 
thousand  pounds  sterling  which  has  been  received  by 
the  treasurer  of  the  Church  in  Edinburgh,  and  this 
large  sum  is  altogether  separate  and  distinct  from  the 
suras  raised  by  the  varioiLs  churches  for  church  building 
and  payment  of  their  own  pastors. 

There  are  several  excellent  institutions  in  Edinburgh, 
established  for  the  purpose  of  providing  a  home  to 
female  domestic  servants,  when  out  of  place,  and  intro- 
ducing them  to  respectable  employers.  One  of  them, 
'  The  Scottish  Register  and  Home  Institution  for  Do- 
mestic Servants,'  has  held  its  eighth  annual  meeting, 
under  the  presidency  of  the  Lord  Provost.  The  appli- 
cations for  servants  numbered  during  the  year  7,187, 
and  about  half  of  that  number  obtained  situations 
through  the  medium  of  the  institution.  The  new  ap- 
plications of  servants  for  registration  was  nearly  2,000, 
being  about  100  more  than  la.st  year,  and  showing  that 
this  useful  class  of  the  commimity  are  becoming  more 
sensible  of  the  benefits  of  such  institutions.  551  lodgers 
had  been  received  into  the  Home  during  the  year. 
The  receipts  for  the  year  liad  been  £623  18s.,  and  the 
expenditure  a  few  shillings  less. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Glasgow  Industrial  and 
Reformatory  School  Society  was  aLso  held  this  month. 
This  institution  diffi^rs  from  the  House  of  Refuge  in 
respect  that  it  is  not  intended  for  youths  convicted  of 
crime,  but  for  those  who  are  in  danger  of  becoming  so. 
Unlike  the  House  of  Refuge,  which  Los  tlie  benefit  of  a 
local  assessment,  it  is  supixirted  by  voluntarj-  subscrip- 
tion. In  the  charact<>r  of  its  moral,  educational,  and 
industrial  training,  it  is,  liowever,  the  counteqiart  of 
the  institution  above  noticed.  The  institution  has 
recently  been  enlarged  for  the  purpose  of  proriding 
sleeping  accommodation  for  tlie  j-outlis  whom  it  would 
not  be  safe  to  lodge  in  the  homes  of  their  relations  ; 
and  at  present  86  boys  and  54  girls  are  recei\-ing  the 
benefits  of  the  institution. 

Tlie  annual  meeting  of  the  Edinburgh  Night  Asylum 
for  the  Homeless,  was  held  on  the  same  day.  This 
institution  has  now  been  in  operation  for  twenty- 
two  3-(Mrs,  during  which  period  286,092  nights'  lodgings 


WORK  OF  THE  CIIIIISTIAN  CIIUKCII. 


Maeoh  2,  1803. 


have  been  afforded  to  a  very  destitute  class  of  the  popu-  j 
lation.  During  the  past  year,  shelter  and  relief  have 
been  afforded  to  6,858  persons,  of  whom  933  belonged 
to  the  city  and  county  of  Edinburgh,  3,!)57  to  Scotch 
counties,  and  2,368  to  England,  Ireland,  and  foreign 
parts  ;  and  these  had  14,051  nights'  lodgings,  showing, 
on  an  average,  a  little  above  two  nights  to  each  person. 
This  "aggregate  gives  an  average  of  thii-ty-eight  persons 
lodged  per  night,  being  an  increase  of  seven  persons 
per  night  more  than  that  of  the  preceding  year.  Early 
in  the  spring  of  last  j'ear,  the  directors  were  indiiced, 
from  the  ample  funds  placed  in  their  hands,  to  allow, 
in  addition  to  the  morning  meal  of  porridge  and  milk,  a 
penny  roll  of  bread  to  lie  given  to  each  adult,  and  half 
the  quantity  to  children,  on  their  leaving  the  Asj-lum 
in  the  morning. 

Lord  Jerviswoode  presided  at  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  Edinburgh  Industrial  Home  for  Fallen  "Women. 
This  institution  now  occupies  improved  jircmises  nt 
Libberton,  two  miles  out  of  towa.  Dm-ing  the  year 
1862,  the  number  of  females  received  into  the  Home 
was  38  ;  and  there  were  resident  at  31st  December  1861, 
29 — making  the  wliole  number  diiring  tlie  year  1862,  67. 
Of  these  there  have  been  sent  to  service  or  to  work,  8  ; 
taken  home  by  their  relatives,  3  ;  sent  to  Toronto,  Upper 
Canada,  4 ;  left  bj-  their  own  desire,  20  ;  appointed 
laundress  to  the  institution,  1  ;  sent  to  Poor's  House, 
Leith,  1— in  all  37,  thus  leaving  30  in  the  Home  at  31st 
December,  1862.  Of  those  who  have  gone  to  service 
or  to  work,  the  Ladies'  Committee  continue  to  t;ike 
what  oversight  they  can  ;  and  they  report  that,  on  the 
whole,  their  conduct  has  been  satifactory  to  their  em- 
ployers, and  has  borne  evidence  of  the  advantage  de- 
rived by  them  from  the  training  in  the  institution. 
Those  who  were  sent  to  Toronto  in  April  last  were  all, 
immediatel}-  on  their  arrival  at  their  destination,  en- 
gaged as  domestic  servants ;  and,  after  being  a  short 
time  in  Toronto,  the  committee  received  tidings  that 
they  were  doing  well.  The  committee  have  reason  to 
believe  that,  in  the  cases  of  manj-  of  those  who  have 
left  the  Home  for  situations  and  otherwise,  pei-manent 
good,  in  a  religious  and  moral  point  of  view,  has  been 
efFected,  and  they  are  now,  in  their  several  spheres, 
useful  members  of  society.  The  income  for  the  present 
year  was  1,079/. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Sabbath  Alliance  of  Scot- 
land was  held  in  Edinburgh  on  the  2nd  instant.  Major- 
General  Walker  occupied  the  chair,  and  the  principal 
speakers  were  the  Rev.  Mr.  Robert.'-on,  of  New  Grej'- 
friars;the  Rev.  Profes,sor McMichael,  Dunfermline;  the 
Rev.  James  Dodd.s,  Dunbar;  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Frazer, 
of  Paisley.  The  report  referred  to  the  efforts  put  forth 
by  the  executive  of  the  Alliance  for  the  purpose  of 
suppressing  or  discouraging  unnecessar}-  labour  and 
amusement  on  the  Lord's  day.  Their  remonstrances 
against  the  opening  of  the  Edinburgh  Botanic  Gardens 
had  been  so  far  successful  that  no  order  had  yet  been 
given  to  admit  the  public  on  Sundays,  but  the  com- 
mittee coidd  not  promise  the  country  an  immunity 
from  this  threatened  desecration.  On  the  contrary, 
there  was  reason  to  apprehend,  from  the  ambiguous 
conduct  of  the  Lords  of  the  Treasury,  that  they  were 
not  unwilling  to  grant  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners  who 
asked  for  the  liberty  of  entering  the  Gardens  on  Sunday. 
It  is  believed  that  another  attempt  will  be  made  in  this 
direction,  as  soon  as  the  summer  weather  approaches. 
The  Alliance  has  also  been  instrumental  in  putting  an 


end  to  a  system  of  excursion  traffic  on  one  of  the  rail- 
ways, by  which  return  passengers  had  the  option  of 
travelling  on  Simdays  on  the  home  journey  ;  and  have 
been  enabled  to  check,  in  some  degree,  the  growing  evil 
of  Sunday  shop  traffic.  Four  master  bakers  in  Edin- 
bm-gh,  as  well  as  others  elsewhere,  had,  it  was  reported, 
wrought,  with  complete  succes,«,  a  new  plan  of  baking, 
by  which  their  joiirneymen  and  apprentices  were  entirely 
relieved  from  .Sunday  work  ;  and  it  was  fully  expected 
that  this  system  would  spread.  On  the  other  hand,  all  the 
efforts  of  the  Alliance  have  been  inadequate  to  stop  or 
even  diminish  the  unnecessary  cab  traffic;  although  thej' 
obtained  the  introduction  into  the  General  Police  Bill 
of  Scotland,  of  a  clause  empowering  the  magistrates  to 
license  six-day  cabs,  and  hoped  to  gain  thereby  an  im- 
portant advantage  in  dealing  ■B'ith  this  question  in  the 
future.  The  Alliance  had  entirely  failed  to  obtain 
from  the  Fishery  Board  any  promise  that  they  would 
exert  the  powers  with  which  they  were  legally  intrusted 
for  preventing  the  sailing  of  boats  to  the  fishing-ground 
on  Sabbath  afternoon. 

The  Glasgow  Free  Church  Building  Society  has 
held  its  annual  meeting,  and  it  was  reported  that,  since 
it  commenced  operations,  it  has  raised  15,379/.  4.'!.  6rf., 
with  which  sum  it  has  ver}'  largely  contributed  to  tlie 
erection  or  purchase  of  nine  or  ten  mission  churches.. 

The  religious  awakening  in  Shetland,  by  latest  ac- 
counts, continues  to  extend  and  deepen.  In  general, 
the  demeanour  of  the  enquirers  has  been  most  decorous  ; 
but  in  some  of  the  outlying  districts  there  has  been  a 
good  deal  of  nervous  excitement  and  physical  prostration. 
Mr.  Brownlow  North  has  had  a  fortnight's  evange- 
listic work  in  Aberdeen.  The  meetings — one  of  which 
was  presided  over  by  the  Earl  of  Kintore — have  all  been 
densely  crowded,  although  held  in  the  largest  churches 
and  halls  in  the  city.  Hundreds  had  nightly  to  be 
refused  admission,  many  of  whom  came  from  long  dis- 
tances by  rail ;  some  even  as  fiu-  as  from  Keith,  fifty 
miles  off.  A  deep  impression  is  said  to  have  been  pro- 
duced upon  the  hear(>rs.  A  series  of  evangelistic  ser- 
vices has  also  been  conducted  in  the  city  of  Perth,  by 
ministers  of  different  denominations. 

The  subject  of  Christian  union  has  been  kept  very 
prominently  before  the  public  mind  of  Scotland  during 
the  past  month.  First,  there  was  a  meeting  in  Paisley 
of  an  association  which  has  now  existed  for  five  years, 
the  object  of  which  is  to  promote  union  between  the 
three  disestablished  Presbyterian  denominations  re- 
presented in  the  to\m — the  Free  Church,  United  Pres- 
byterian Church,  and  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church. 
Tliis  association  aims  at  realising  its  object,  not  so  much 
by  organi-'cd  agitation  as  by  frequent  meetings  for 
devotional  exercises,  and  by  conferences  about  their 
differences,  and  about  the  best  means  of  evanlig-esing 
the  irreligious  masses  of  the  community  among  whom 
they  dwell.  Some  three  or  four  years  ago,  a  more 
public  exhibition  of  a  desire  for  union  was  made  by 
the  pu'olication  of  a  manifesto,  signed  by  many  of  the 
most  influential  laymen  of  the  Free  and  United  Prcs- 
bj-terian  churches ;  but  this  movement  was  quickly 
stopped  by  some  of  the  Church  Courts,  before  it 
had  acquired  sufficient  momentum  to  withstand  the 
spirit  of  ecclesiastici.sra.  The  matter  has  ripened 
since  that  time,  and  the  report  of  the  Paisley  meeting 
has  given  a  sensible  impulse  to  the  desire  for  union, 
or  at  least  to  the  expression  of  that  desire.  At 
most  of  the  annual  congregational  meetings  of  the 


Makcu  2,  186!;. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


9 


Free  and  United  Presbyterian  churches  •which  have 
since  been  held,  the  question  of  union  between  these 
two  denominations  lias  formed  the  principal  topic,  and 
in  eveiy  case  the  proposal  has  received  the  hearty 
concurrence  of  the  speakers  and  the  cordial  appro- 
bation of  the  audience.  Almost  simultaneously  the 
Eev.  Dr.  Cairns,  of  Berwick,  delivered  at  Newcastle 
a  speech  in  favour  of  the  union  of  the  two  great  non-  , 


established  denominations  of  Scotland,  as  preparatory 
to  a  union  between  the  English  Presbyterian  Church 
and  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  in  England.  The 
preparedness  of  these  two  bodies  for  union  was  called 
in  question  by  a  Free  Church  minister  and  a  United 
Pres})yterian  elder,  in  two  Edinburgh  new.spapers  ;  and 
Dr.  Cairns,  in  reply  to  one  of  these  correspondents, 
repeats  his  sentiments  with  still  greater  emphasi.s. 


THE  CONTINENT. 


FRANCE. 


Two  subjects  are  calling  out  tlie  best  feelings  of  the 
nation  and  uniting  every  fraction  of  party  in  one  com- 
mon interest, — Poland  without  and  the  state  of  our 
manufacturing  districts  within.  The  former  has  excited 
one  intense  indignant  cry  of  outraged  humanity,  and 
the  latter  has  touched  the  chord  of  universal  sympathy, 
which  manifests  itself  in  increased  eagerness  to  send 
relief.  All  churches  join  to  gather  fraternal  offerings  ; 
the  Protestant  sermons  in  Paris  produced  about  30,000 
francs  ;  this  was  besides  every  one's  private  donations 
made  previously  through  otiier  cliannels.  The  liberal 
journals  suggested  that  every  workman,  clerk,  or  other 
officer  should  give  one  day's  salary  ;  the  Siich  alone  has 
received  in  this  way  200,000  francs.  Every  kind  of 
suggestion  has  been  made  to  procure  money,  some 
dance,  some  sing,  some  gamble ;  certain  men  of  mind 
and  talent  proposed  a  series  of  impronng  lectures  in 
Herz's  concert-room,  and  requested  authorisation 
thereto ;  the  Prefect  of  Police,  haring  consulted  the 
Minister  of  Puljlic  Instruction,  declined,  thereby  giving, 
together  with  the  Ministers  witliout  portfolio  in  par- 
liament, a  most  interesting  example  of  scholars  more 
circumspect  than  their  master ! 

Men  tliere  were,  simple  hearts,  who  did  not  take  the 
two  speeches  of  the  master  as  detached  facts  ;  some 
rejoiced  at  the  apparent  satisfaction  given  to  the 
clericals  in  the  speech  to  the  chambers,  and  some,  on 
the  other  hand,  at  the  very  liberal  hopes  held  out  in 
the  speech  to  the  exliibitionists.  But  when  a  slight 
increase  of  freedom  is  asked  for,  the  ministers  manifest 
astonislinient  that  we  are  not  .satiated  with  what  we 
have  got,  and,  taking  a  hint  from  Pio  Nono,  cry  Non 
possumu.i!    A  woful  disappointment  to  many! 

Meanwhile,  let  me  endeavour  to  characterise  in  few 
words  our  present  religious  state.  Ours  is  a  seetliing 
time ;  cverv  current  opinion  is  cast  into  the  crucible  ; 
the  mass  of  spectators  stand  around,  some  with  the 
eager  glance  of  curiosity  ;  some  in  agony  of  suspense  ; 
some,  with  averted  eyes,  resolving,  come  what  may,  to 
deem  their  spurious  coin  jjure  gold ;  wliile  here  and 
there  oiu;  looks  on  witli  steady  gaze,  secure  that  what 
bears  his  Father's  impress  luu.st  stand  the  test.  Of  the 
mass  of  curious  ones,  to  wliom  faith  is  unknown,  it  has 
been  said  by  a  Catholic,  well  ver.sed  in  the  questions  of 
the  time,  'They  acknowledge  religion  in  general  to  be 
necessar}',  but  they  believe  that  while  a  new  one  would 
be  ridiculous,  the  existing  one  is  superannuated,  and, 
consequently,  religion  is  in  their  eyes  at  once  indi.spen- 
snble  and  inipractiealile.'  And  so  they  wait  to  see  what 
will  emerge  from  the  crucible,  while  to  all  intents  they 
bow  down  to  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness,  science, 
or  wealth.  To  the  anxious  ones  brought  up  in  the  faitli 


of  the  church  of  Pome,  who  wish  to  preserve  it  while 
they  love  liberty,  and  who  intensely  long  to  see  the  two 
united,  the  su.spense  is  agony ;  Gallieanism  to  them 
seems  simk  under  ultramontanist  outrage,  and  the 
partisans  of  liberty  among  sincere  Catholics  to  be 
counted  one  by  one.  The  noisy  ones,  who  hug  their 
mcdioeval  idols,  are  hurrj-ing  on  the  church  of  Rome  to 
a  more  energetic  affirmation  of  her  infallibility  than 
ever,  and  a  more  obstinate  resistance  to  the  principles 
of  modern  society ;  while  Rome  remains  (to  use  the 
words  of  a  well-known  statesman)  'an  antiquated  phan- 
tom, who  neither  understands  nor  loves  modern  civili- 
sation, and  yet  pretends  to  grasp  it.'  And  yet,  extremes 
meet.  The  follovring  lines  are  from  a  decidedly  demo- 
cratical  apologi.st  of  liberty  of  conscience  :  '  At  other 
epochs,  a  Constantine,  a  Charlemagne,  under  the  pres- 
sure of  circumstances,  have  usurped  the  Spiritual 
government.  We  incline  to  believe  that  there  is  some- 
thing analogous  in  the  present  European  tendency,  and 
that  governments,  insomuch  as  they  advance  with  public 
opinion,  will  be  more  and  more  forced  to  substitute 
themselves  for  the  constituted  spiritual  authority,  which 
ever3nnhere  is  an  obstacle  to  the  union  of  nations  and 
creeds,  and  the  spirit  of  tolerance  and  charity  which 
becomes  a  habit  and  aspiration  of  the  age.' 

The  seething  in  the  Protestant  circles  is  no  less  in- 
tense for  being  internal  and  doctrinal.  Our  French 
reformation  has  passed  tlirough  her  heroic,  militant, 
and  theological  periods :  she  has  had  her  ages  of  dis- 
persion and  exliaustinn,  and  her  years  of  mere  secular 
machinerj-.  She  has  had  her  times  of  refreshing,  or 
what  we  are  accustomed  to  call  her  revival,  which 
commenced  here,  as  elsewhere,  from  sparks  ignited  by 
the  quiet  Morarian  and  zealous  Metliodist  in  the  south, 
and  by  Scotch  and  Swiss  influence  in  the  north.  In- 
dividual awakening  soon  produced  collective  agency, 
and  societies  were  formed  ;  the  Protestant  Bible,  Society, 
the  Tract  Society,  the  Paris  Missionary  Socitti/,  the 
Primary  School  Society,  sprang  up  and  prospered.  In- 
dependent churches  ■\\(  re  formed,  and  independent 
societies,  and,  after  a  first  recoil,  the  two  parties  united 
to  provoke  one  another  to  love  and  to  good  works. 
Thus  we  have  the  French  and  Foreign  liilih  Society, 
the  Kvavyeiical  Soci(ty,  the  Central  Society  for  rousing 
slumbering  Protestants,  the  Society  for  scekinij  out  dis- 
Himinatcd  Protestants.  (lie  Sunday-School  Union,  the 
Toulouse  Book  Society,  and  many  others.  Old  dead 
orthodoxy  was  roused,  the  Gospel  of  a  living  Christ  took 
tlie  place  of  lifeless  forms,  and  loving  works  were  the 
consequence.  Thus  orphan  institutions,  .schools,  a.sylums 
for  the  unprotected,  destitute,  fallen,  sick,  infirm  ;  ns.so- 
ciations,— some  to  aid  those  near  at  hand,  and  some  to 
help  the  missionaries  abroad — have  .sprung  into  exist- 


10 


ence,  each  with  its  bright  individual  stamp  of  character, 
which  contrasts  strikingly  with  the  works  of  similar 
nature  among  the  organised  corporations  of  Home. 
Journals  weekly  and  monthlj'  have  multiplied,  and  car- 
ried news  of  the  work  of  God  into  all  our  churches. 
The  Protestant  press  has  been  increasingly  active,  and 
though  too  much  time  and  monej'  have  been  spent  on 
translations,  many  of  these,  together  with  more  original 
works,  are  carrjang  God's  truth  far  and  wide.  Tliis 
year  has  presented  us  with  a  long-Nrished  for  boon  : 
a  Protestant  Journal,  authorised  to  admit  political 
questions ;  and  the  journal  which  has  obtained  this 
envied  license,  is  the  Krvue  Chreiienne,  the  most  able 
of  our  Christian  periodicals,  and  the  one  most  read 
beyond  our  immediate  circle. 

But  coidd  the  enemy  leave  God's  children  to  pursue 
their  work  in  peace  ?  No  !  The  antagonism  of  those 
over  whom  the  refreshing  spirit  passed  without  reviving 
them  had  ever  been  intense,  sometimes  manifested  by 
inert  resistance  and  absence  of  life,  and  often  by  bitter 
opposition.  Dead  rationalism  and  dead  orthodox}-  are 
now  dying  out,  and  from  their  embers  has  sprung  the 
spirit,  not  of  enquiry,  but  of  criticism,  calling  in  ques- 
tion the  very  elements  of  Christianity.  Mass-worship 
— call  it  intellect,  conscience,  or  what  they  will — is 
substituted  for  the  supremacy  of  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
morality  for  the  atonement,  ever3-thing  but  the  name  is 
dropped  out  of  Christianity.  The  activitj-  of  this 
faction,  whicli  remains  in  the  Protestant  Church,  is 
very  great,  and  the  siibtlety  of  its  teaching  such,  that  it 
not  only  remains,  but  increases,  and  leavens  the  mass 
far  and  wide.  It  influences  the  general  public  bj-  the 
daily  political  paper,  Lc  Temps,  and  the  Brvue  Ger- 
manique  ;  it  influences  the  Protestant  Church  by  the 
Strashurg  Review  and  the  Paris  Lien ;  while  the 
Disciple  de  Jhus- Christ,  imd  Pi^td-Chariie,  bringdown 
to  the  less  learned  Protestants  deep  shades  of  the  same 
doctrine.  The  society  called  FUjiivers  Lib^rahin'PaTis 
has  just  published  the  version  of  Geneva  in  a  cheap 
form,  omitting,  however,  the  very  objectionable  notes. 

The  enemy,  while  undermining  from  wthin,  is  no 
less  active  from  without.  Rome  loses  no  opportunity 
of  counteracting  our  work,  of  calumniating  it,  and  of 
calling  in  administrative  opposition  wherever  feasible. 
And,  indeed,  to  see  the  expansion  of  Protestantism  in 
France,  we  have  but  to  cast  our  eye  over  the  report  for 
the  year  of  the  Frangois  de  Sales  Association,  in  which 
eight  compressed  pages  detail  the  expenditure  of  above 
100,000  francs  in  rescuing  straying  Catholics,  and 
creating  schools  and  Viirious  institutions  in  opposition 
to  ours.  Mgr.  de  Segur  was  less  bitter  in  his  pulpit 
oration  on  the  29th  of  January,  before  a  numerous 
auditory,  than  he  had  been  hitherto.  But  it  will  not 
siicceed,  for  one  English  Calvin  (erroneously  reported 
to  be  a  descendant  of  the  Reformer,  whose  children  all 
died  young),  who  was  received  with  great  ceremony  into 
the  Romisli  Church  in  Paris,  we  can  count  hundreds  of 
Romanists  embracing  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation. 
Apropos  of  Englishmen,  let  me  quote  Pio  Nono's  defi- 
nition of  Pusej-ites :  '  They  are  church  bells  calling 
others  to  7nnss  without  coming  in  themselves  !  '  It  seems 
that  we  are  pri\-ileged  to  be  the  nation  in  which  there 
are  the  most  Jesuits.  Out  of  7,231,  there  are  2.203  in 
France ;  Spain  comes  next  in  rank,  with  742  ;  and 
Belgium  third,  ^vith  542  ;  j'ou  have  265  in  England, 
and  126  in  Ireland. 


Maech  2,  18G3. 

There  have  been  interesting  conferences,  or  lectures, 
this  winter,  given  by  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  in  Paris.  One  has  been  on  Geology,  and 
others  on  the  Principles  of  the  Reformation,  both 
subjects  ably  treated  in  a  thoroughly  Christian  point  of 
view.    This  interesting  as.sociation  prospers. 

The  work  of  Paris  evangelisation  wants  hands ; 
everj-  evangelist,  whether  a  volunteer  or  salaried  agent, 
is  ovenvhelmed  with  the  work  ;  doors  stand  open — some 
in  the  most  unexpected  places — and  but  httle  opposi- 
tion from  without.  Frequently  the  question  is  put, 
whether  the  speaker  is  in  league  with  the  Pope ;  and 
when  he  presents  the  Book  which  the  Pope  prohibits  in 
Rome,  they  are  satisfied  and  seize  it  gladly.  One  of 
the  five  evangelists,  supported  by  the  committee  formed 
of  various  denominations,  has  brought  fifty-seven  per- 
sons to  a  saving  knowledge  of  Christ  forty-two  of 
whom  were  Roman  Catholics.  We  have  two  or  tliree 
Bible-women  at  work. 

The  chtu-ch  of  Huismes  has  at  length  obtained  the 
authorisation  to  open  its  chapel,  closed  for  many  years. 
The  Government  proposes  to  increase  the  stipend  of  the 
pastors  of  the  National  Protestant  Church,  100  francs. 
The  senate  is  being  petitioned  this  j'ear  by  M.  de 
Coninck  to  grant  to  the  Reformed  Church  its  legal  right 
of  holding  its  private  sj-nod,  composed  of  five  consis- 
torial  churches,  as  it  cannot  get  its  national  synod. 

On  Thursday  the  19th,  the  new  Congregational 
Chapel  was  opened  in  Paris  for  English  residents.  It  is 
the  building  in  the  Rue  Royale  formerly  occupied  by 
the  Wesleyan  Church  (now  removed  to  its  own  new- 
built  place  of  worship,  on  the  Boiilevard  Malesherbes). 
This  building,  which  has  been  newly  decorated  and 
altered,  will  hold  between  200  and  300  hearers.  The 
small  congregation  removes  from  the  French  chapel  it 
has  hitherto  used  in  the  Faubourg  d'llonore.  About 
fifty  French  and  English  bretliren  of  various  churches 
were  present ;  the  sermons  were  delivered  by  the  Rev. 
George  Smith,  Secretai^  of  the  Congregational  Union. 

A  new  English  church  has  been  opened  at  Nice  ; 
the  Bishop  of  Gibraltar  presided.  It  has  been  erected 
by  voluntary  contribution,  and  will  seat  700. 

Several  interesting  consecrations  of  young  pastors 
have  lately  taken  place  in  the  Reformed  Church. 

Our  intere.sting  niissionarj-  society  has  gone  through 
a  deep  trial,  in  the  forced  return  of  the  young  mission- 
aries it  had  sent  out  two  years  ago  to  China.  The  wife 
of  one  of  them,  after  fidfiUing  heroically  her  arduous 
loving  duties  to  the  sick  and  dying  around,  was  carried 
off  by  cholera,  lea^'ing  two  babes.  Her  husband  nursed 
his  brother  missionary  through  the  same  fearful  dis- 
ease ;  and  after  struggling  in  vain  against  the  climate, 
they  were  compelled  to  return,  though  not  without 
leaving  traces  of  their  mkission.  The  South  African 
mission  is  prosperous :  a  missionary  has  been  sent  out 
to  Senegal ;  and  M.  Arbousset  and  his  daughters  and 
son-in-law  have  gone  to  Tahiti. 

Our  accounts  from  the  province  of  Algiers  are  cheering. 
The  church  of  God  is  steadily  making  progress.  A 
Bible-woman  is  at  work  in  the  capital.  At  Constan- 
tine  two  libraries  and  three  schools  are  in  activity. 
The  Algerian  journals  willingly  insert  articles  on  the 
benefits  of  the  Reformation  and  the  spread  of  the 
gospel.  At  the  autumnal  fair  and  Exhibition  in  Algiers, 
a  colporteur  hired  a  stall,  and  sold  in  one  week  61 


WORK  OF  THE  CHEISTIAX  CIIURCH. 


March2,18G3.  work  OF  TILE  CHRISTIAN  CliaiiCII.  11 


Bibles,  43  Testaments,  92  Psalms,  605  Pentateuchs, 
and  149  books  of  the  Toulouse  Society.  Last  Novem- 
ber, Pastor  Heim  was  publicly  installed  in  the  newly- 
created  parish  of  Cherohell.  A  vast  concourse  of  people 
was  attracted,  aud  the  authorities  were  present. 

The  universal  Israelite  Alliance  formed  in  Paris  in 
1860  has  not  been  idle  during  the  past  year.  Committees 
of  members  liave  been  formed  in  Vienna,  Berlin,  and  Am- 
sterdam. It  has  obtained  promise  of  special  uiformation 
respecting  the  Israelites  of  Persia,  through  the  Italian 
embassj'  sent  on  a  scientific  mission  to  that  country ; 
similar  promise  "has  been  made  to  it  by  the  French 
scientific  missions  to  Cliina  and  Abyssinia.  An  appeal 
to  join  the  alliance  has  been  printed  in  Hebrew,  to  be 
circulated  among  foreign  .Tows.  It  has  founded  a 
school  at  Petouan,  and  is  about  to  establish  one  at 
Damascus.  It  has  given  publicity  to  several  cases  of 
persecution  in  Itiily,  Russia,  and  elsewhere,  especially 
that  of  Saratoflf,  where  its  voice  has  been  heard,  and 
VeUetri,  where  it  has  not.  Its  committee-room  is  now 
open  in  Paris.  Yoxir  readers  are  aware  that  this 
alliance  is  entirely  among  Israelites  as  such,  for  the 
protection,  improvement,  and  discovery  of  their  dis- 
persed bretlireii,  and  promises  to  be  a  bond  of  union  for 
them  all  over  the  world.  "Who  will  not  bid  them  God 
speed,  and  hope  that  it  may  be  the  first  symptom  of  the 
glorious  consummation  of  Ezekiel  xixvii  ? 

A  petition,  covered  with  about  30,000  signatures  of 
ladies  of  France,  is  being  sent  to  the  Queen  of  Spain, 
for  the  liberation  of  Matamoros,  and  our  other  brethren 
in  bonds.  Many  Roman  Catholics  have  eagerly  signed 
it.  An  interesting  meeting  was  held  in  Paris  on  the 
subject,  in  wliich  details  were  given  that  prudence 
forbids  to  publish;  it  is,  however,  a  fact,  that  the 
gospel  continues  to  advance  there,  and  that  hearts  are 
prepared  to  receive  it  by  the  attention  tliat  the  pei-se- 
cutions  excite. 

Paris,  Fd).  1863. 


A  few  words  on  the  work  of  the  Deaconesses  of  Stras- 
bourg— a  valuable  institution,  and  one  of  the  most  pros- 
perous. They  are  taken  from  the  twentieth  Report  of  the 
establLshraent,  which  has  just  appeared.  The  end  the  dea- 
conesses have  in  view  is  thus  expressed  in  the  second  Ar- 
ticle of  their  Regulations  :  '  To  afford  to  Christian  women 
who  wish  to  devote  themselves  to  the  service  of  the 
lord,  the  means  of  fitting  themselves  to  become  sick 
mtrses ;  to  act  as  overseers  in  prisons,  in  refuges,  homos,  or 
any  other  charitable  institutions  which  may  require  their 
services.'  The  total  number  of  sister.";  who  at  present 
labour  in  the  work,  is  ninety-five :  seventeen  arc  em- 
ployed in  the  Maison  de  Sant<S  at  Strasbourg;  the 
Maison  do  Reti-aite  occupies  thirteen  ;  nine  are  engaged 
in  various  educational  establishments  in  Strasbourg; 
one  in  the  Crichc  for  infants  ;  two  in  the  Home  for 
Servants;  tour  in  the  Reformatory;  and  two  in  the 
Refuge ;  in  all  forty-two  in  Strasbourg. 

Fifty-three  sisters  arc  employed  in  different  stations 
elsewhere.  One  at  the  Hopital  Evangnliquo  of  Ri- 
benuviUi;  four  at  the  Hopital  Chenal  of  the  Marie-aux 
Mines ;  five  at  Colmar,  of  whom  one  is  at  the  Maison  de 
Sant6  one  employed  in  visiting  the  sick  at  their  own 
homes,  and  two  in  the  Home  for  Servants ;  three  at- 
Guebwiller— of  whom  one  is  at  the  Hopital  Evangelique, 
one  at  the  infant  school,  and  one  emjiloyed  in  visiting 
the  sick  Protestantfl. 


Mulhausen  is,  next  to  Strasbourg,  the  great  centre  of 
activity  of  the  deaconesses :  fifteen  arc  employed  in 
the  large  hospital  of  this  town,  and  ten  y\»it  the  sick  in 
their  own  homes  One  is  at  lUzaeh,  near  Mulhausen ; 
and  three  are  at  the  Hospital  of  Montbeliard  (Doubs), 
where  their  multiplied  exertions  hardly  suffice  for  the 
number  of  sick  under  their  care.  Neufchatel,  in  Switzer- 
land, has  also  laid  claim  to  the  services  of  the  Strasbourg 
deaconesses :  three  are  at  the  Hopital  Bourgeois,  and 
make  domiciliary  visits,  and  six  are  at  the  Hopital- 
Pourtales. 

This  short  sketch  suffices  to  .show  the  activity  and 
importance  of  this  establishment,  which  continues  to 
receive  incessant  applications  for  sisters  whom  it  cannot 
supplj'.  This  work  owes  its  present  prosperity  iji  a 
special  manner  to  the  indefatigable  and  devoted  direc- 
tion of  Pasteur  Haerter. 

South  of  France,  Feb.  1863. 


BELGIUM. 

Two  great  parties  divide  between  themselves  the 
political  and  even  religious  influence — the  Catholic 
party  and  the  Liberal,  or,  as  it  is  also  called,  Free- 
mason party.  These  two  parties  are  continually,  and 
sometimes  violently,  striving  for  the  direction  of  the 
political,  and  even  the  administrative,  affairs  of  the 
country.  In  the  years  which  followed  the  Revolution 
of  1830,  they  seemed  not  to  be  conscious  of  the  anta- 
gonism which  was  to  separate  them,  and  to  make  of 
them  two  adversaries  who  could  never  be  reconciled. 

In  order  to  understand  the  leading  questions  on 
which  they  differ,  it  will  be  necessary  to  say  a  few 
words  regarding  the  origin  and  the  history  of  these  two 
parties. 

When  the  National  Congress  made  the  Charter  in 
1830,  which  was  accepted  by  the  nation  in  1831,  these 
two  parties  existed  already  as  two  opposite  tendencies. 
They  made  each  other  very  remarkable  reciprocal 
concessions,  which  induced  them  to  make  a  very  bberal 
Cliarter. 

The  Freemasons'  party,  not  wisliing  to  be  obliged 
to  go  to  mass,  or  to  confess,  asked  for  religious  indi- 
vidual liberty. 

The  party  of  the  Clergy  asked  earnestly  for  the 
independence  of  Uio  Church.  The  result  of  this  was, 
that  liberty  of  the  conscience,  and  liberty  of  worship, 
and  the  entire  independence  of  the  churches,  even  of 
those  supported  by  the  state,  were  clearly  and  formally 
gxiaranteed  by  the  Constitution. 

The  supporters  of  the  Romish  Church  and  the  friends 
of  liberty  were  interested  alike  in  the  right  of  associa- 
tion. This  was  a  most  important  point  for  the  Jesuits 
and  the  other  Romi.sh  confreries.  The  liberty  of  asso- 
ciation, and  consequently  the  right  of  public  and  private 
meetings,  were  clearly  and  formally  inscribed  in  the 
charter. 

The  liberty  of  the  press  was  most  earnestly  claimed 
by  the  Freemasons'  party,  and  the  liberty  of  teaching 
by  the  friends  of  the  Jesuits,  who  well  foresaw,  that 
hrhrr-  the  state  could  establish  a  complete  system  of 
national  education,  the  celebrated  company  of  Loyola, 
assisted  by  tlieir  affiliates  of  all  order's,  would  have  got 
the  entire  hold  of  ]niblie  instruction.  The  liberty  of 
the  press  and  the  liberty  of  teaching  were  thus  truly 
guaranteed  by  tlie  charter.    In  this  way  these  four 


12 


AVOEK  OF  THE  CIIHISTIAN  CHURCH. 


Makch  2,  18G.3. 


fundamental  libertiej;,  wliieh  are  the  soiiree  of  all  the 
others,  and  of  all  social  progress,  made  the  charter  of 
Belgium  the  most  liberal  in  Europe. 

In  acting  thus  the  two  parties  thought  that  they  had 
made  an  indissoluble  covenant  of  peace.  They  looked 
at  the  future  without  any  anxiety.  The  representatives 
of  the  Clergy  in  the  Congress  declared  with  emphasis 
that  they  wanted  liberty,  en  iout  et  pour  iovs  (in  all 
and  for  all).  The  Liljcrals  put  all  confidence  in  tliis 
declaration ;  the  latter,  on  their  side,  professed  a 
thorough  attachment  to  the  Church  of  Eome.  The 
Romish  party  trusted  to  this  profession. 

It  is  easily  to  be  understood,  tliat  during  several 
years  these  two  parties  thought  they  were  merely 
separated  by  some  nuances  of  opinions.  But  the  truly 
famous  ene3'cHcal  letter  of  Gregory  XVI.,  wliich  came 
soon  to  fulminate  against  all  these  liberties,  as  a  pro- 
duction of  hellish  powers,  roused  the  two  parties  from 
their  illusions.  The  liberal  party  gradually  saw  that 
the  high  clergy  gave  le  mot  d'ordrc  to  their  leaders, 
for  the  purpose  of  confiscating  all  liberty  in  their 
favour. 

From  another  side  the  Catholic  party  soon  found 
out  that  the  Freemasons  would  obey  the  Church  only 
in  as  far  a.s  they  judged  right,  and  did  not  care 
for  her  interest,  but  in  as  far  as  their  own  would  not 
BuflFer. 

The  Catholic  party,  always  preoccupied  by  regard 
for  the  interest  and  the  privileges  of  the  Church,  wanted 
to  turn  everj-thing  to  the  advantage  of  religion.  All 
the  important  questions  of  interior  and  exterior  politics 
thus  became  a  wisp  of  dispute.  Therefore,  in  a  few 
years,  tliey  found  them.'^elves  opposed,  the  one  to  the 
other,  as  two  great  enemies. 

The  strife  has  been  so  much  the  greater  as  one  party 
never  managed  to  vanquish  the  other.  During  many 
years  the  Catholics  had  almost  entirely  the  upper 
hand,  but  in  1847,  the  liberal  party  obtained  it,  and 
since  this  they  have  administered  affairs,  with  the 
exception  of  three  or  four  years,  and  at  this  moment 
thej-  do  not  seem  to  be  on  the  eve  of  j-ielding  their 
place  to  the  Catholics. 

This  antagonism,  which  has  lasted  during  about 
twentj'-eight  j'ears,  has  exercised  a  great  influence  on 
the  religion  professed  by  the  Belgian  nation.  Those 
who  supported  the  Romish  Church  have  identified 
politics  and  all  material  interests  with  religion.  The 
liberal  party  in  defending  liberty  against  tlie  preten- 
sions of  the  Romish  clergy,  did  equally  so.  And  so  it 
has  come  to  pass,  that  the  true  friends  of  libertj".  as 
guaranteed  by  the  charter,  considered  religion  generally 
as  incompatible  with  liberty,  and  the  Church  as  an 
enemy  to  progress  ;  and  as  they  were  accustomed  to 
consider  Romanism  as  identical  with  Cliristianity, 
infidelity  has  dreadfully  increased. 

The  Catholic  party,  which  commands  tlie  support 
of  the  aristocracy  and  the  rural  population,  seems  to 
be  dinded  into  two  fractions  by  questions  of  principles 
rather  important.  The  party  which  is  most  influential, 
is  formed  by  what  is  called  tlie  ultra  Catholics.  At 
their  head  is  the  Belgian  episcopacy.  Their  principal 
leaders  in  the  Chambers  are,  the  Count  de  Theux, 
Mr.  Malon  (brother  to  the  IBishop  of  Bruges),  the 
Baron  d'Amthan,  &c.  They  have  in  the  daily  press  a 
great  number  of  journals.  La  Beviie  Cafkoh'gue, 
published  by  tlie  doctors  of  Louvain,  is  their  theolo- 
gical organ.    It  is  not  necessary  to  say  what  are  their 


principles,  and  what  they  aim  at :  Ultramontanism  is  | 
well  known.  j 

The  other  fraction  of  this  party  seems  to  conceive 
the  illusion,  tliat  libertj-  is  possible  with  the  Romish  ; 
Chm-ch.    The  men  of  this  opinion  wanting  to  be  good  1 
Belgian  and  good  Roman  Catholics,  follow  the  charter, 
and  are  at  the  same  time  good  cliildren,  subdued  to  the 
Church.    They  are  sincere  believers,  according  to  the  ' 
measure  of  their  faith,  and  sincere  friends  of  liberal 
institutions  of  course.    The  problem  they  try  to  resolve 
is  of  an  impossible  solution. 

Among  their  eminent  men,  we  find  in  the  first  rank 
M.  de  Declier  and  the  Viscount  Vilain  XIV.  They 
have  no  recognised  organ  in  the  daily  press.  The 
journal  Jlistoriquc  et  Litterairc  a  review,  edited  atLiege 
by  a  respectable  man,  !Mr.  Kerston,  is  the  religious 
organ  of  this  fraction. 

It  is  not  easy  to  say  how  far  the  men  who  form  this 
moderate  portion  of  the  Catholic  party  are  attached  by 
truly  religious  convictions  to  the  Church  of  Rome,  nor 
if  they  admit  still  the  fundamental  dogmas  of  Chris-  | 
tianitj'.    It  is  certain  that  there  are  some  among  them 
who  have  a  positive  faith,  and  who  more  or  less  look  for 
peace  to  the  redemption  which  is  in  Christ.  Their 
faith  of  coiu-se  is  considerably  darkened  by  the  erro^  , 
of  Rome.  j 
On  religious  ground,  the  liberal  party  has  a  certain  I 
unity  of  view  and  negative  principles.    Thus,  it  is  not  i 
probable  that  among  them  you  would  find  one  who  has  I 
a  cordial  attachment  to  the  Romisli  Church,  nor  who 
believes  in  the  godly  origin  of  Christianity  in  the  true 
sense  of  the  word,  or  who  admit.s  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
trulj-  God  and  man. 

This  party,  howeA'er,  can  T)e  divided  into  three  frac- 
tions.   First,  those  who  declare  that  they  will  remain  | 
in  the  Romish  Church,  have  their  children  brought  up  ' 
in  its  faith — yea,  to  live  and  to  die  in  it,  and  who, 
when  necessary  attend  to  certain  ceremonies  of  worship. 
I  know,  however,  from  a  sure  source,  that  a  great  \ 
number  among  them  would  be  delighted  if  Belgium  } 
became  Protestant ;  they  would  then  hasten  to  join 
Protestantism. 

Secondly.  AVe  count  among  the  second  fraction  men 
who  distinguish  themselves  from  those  wo  have  just  j 
named,  only  liy  sliowing  more  independence  and  more 
boldness  in  the  profession  of  thcii-  negative  opinions.  I 
However,  they  have  still  recourse  to  the  priests  upon 
certain  occasions,  and  especially  on  tlieir  death  beds, 
not  exactly  for  the  repose  of  their  souls,  but  from 
respect  for  certain  prejudices.  They  also  hope  one 
day  to  see  Belgium  turn  Protestant. 

Thirdly.  We  have  those  who  declare  that  they  -want 
to  reject  all  religious  form,  and  who  long  to  see  eyery 
kind  of  worship  disappear.  They  consider  religion  as 
an  obstacle  to  progress,  and  as  a  kind  of  enemy  to  hu- 
manity. Tliey  form  a  kind  of  association  bearing  the 
title  of  solidarity.  They  try  to  get  rid  entirely  of  the 
priests.  Some  of  these  refuse  to  confess  on  their  death-  \  j 
beds,  and  when  on  this  account  the  priest  refuses  to 
conduct  the  funeral  service,  it  is  performed  by  one  of 
themselves  with  as  much  solemnity  as  possible.  If 
the  deceased  leaves  a  widow  with  little  resources,  the 
members  of  the  society  impose  a  fine  upon  themselves 
in  her  favour. 

Bi-ussels,  Fchritari/  1863. 


Maech  2,  18G3.  WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


ITALY. 

Tun  Italian  Parliament  is  again  in  session,  Init  no- 
thing of  great  importance  lias  yet  been  brought  fom-ard. 
The  journals  begin  to  complain  of  time  being  wasted 
by  long  useless  speeches  of  members  who  love  to  hear 
their  own  voices.  The  Director  of  the  Neapolitan 
Bank,  Marquis  Avitabile,  was  lately  seized  by  brigands 
while  shooting  on  his  own  property,  on  the  side  of 
Mount  Vesuvius,  and  had  to  pay  80,000  francs,  it  is 
said,  of  ransom ;  but  this  isolated  fact  is  no  proof  that 
brigandage  is  on  the  increase  in  the  southern  parts  of 
the  kingdom,  for  the  reverse  is  the  case,  and  life  and 
property  are  more  sure  than  tliey  were.  Four  days 
more  will  put  an  end  to  that  greatest  of  nuisances,  the 
Carnival ;  indeed,  it  is  proliable  that  a  few  j-ears  more 
!  will  put  an  end  to  the  observance  altogether,  except 
among  little  children,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  way  in 
which  the  cnrso  or  street  processions  have  fallen  oif  in 
numbers  and  respectability  ever  since  the  establishment 
of  constitutional  Government  left  men  free  to  occupy 
themselves  with  graver  matters  than  masquerading  and 
throwing  whitening  hon  bona.  I  know  nothing  aliout 
the  Viglioni,  or  masked  balls,  so  as  to  be  able  to  draw 
a  conclusion  as  to  the  decadence  or  otherwise  of  this 
heathen  custom,  from  the  cliaracter  and  position  of  those 
who  frequent  them  ;  but  it  has  been  a  subject  of  uni- 
versal remark  both  at  Florence  and  Leghorn,  that  so 
poor  a  display  was  never  known  upon  the  streets.  It 
is  the  cause  of  much  immorality  and  mischief,  and  the 
sooner  it  is  abandoned  the  better.  The  Eoman  con-e- 
spondeiits  of  the  Italian  papers  atSrm,  that  in  the 
Et<>rnal  City  the  people  are  abstaining  from  Carnival 
festinties  by  way  of  political  demonstration,  and  that 
the  Pope's  Government  is  using  every  means  to  compel 
them  to  make  fools  of  themselves ! 

In  a  former  letter  I  mentioned  a  new  dispute  that 
had  arisen  between  the  local  authorities  of  Leghorn 
and  Signor  Ribetti,  owing  to  the  former  refusing  to 
allow  the  bodies  of  Italian  Protestants  to  be  interred 
in  coffins  in  the  cemeteries  which  the  municipal  autho- 
rities have  been  obliged  by  Government  to  provide  for 
them.  There  has  been  some  delay  in  obtaining  redress 
from  Iiigh  quarters,  owing  to  tlie  disjiutc  having  arisen 
just  before  the  resignation  of  the  Ratazzi  Ministr)-. 
The  case  was  put  by  Dr.  Revel,  as  President  of  the 
Commission  of  Evangelisation,  into  able  hands,  and  it 
has  not  been  allowed  to  sleep.  On  the  9th  of  January, 
a  circular  was  issued  by  the  Minister  of  the  Interior  to 

I    all  the  prefects  of  Tuscany — '  Sullo  tumulazioni  degli 

I    Acattolici,'  which  gives  the  Protestants  all  (liey  asked. 

1  After  setting  forth  that  all  citizens  of  the  kingdom 
Iiav(>  a  right  to  sepulture  in  the  public  cemeteries, 
whatever  be  their  religious  profession,  the  circular 
continues,  'Complaints  liave  lately  reached  the  Govern- 
ment  from  non-Catholic  siilijects,  who  had  been  pre- 
vented in  the  Tuscan  provinces  from  burying  the  bodies 

;  of  their  co-religionists  in  coffin.s,  because  such  mode  of 
sepulture  was  contrary  to, the  regulations  on  cemeteries 

I  now  in  vigour.  The  undersigned  therefore  has  recourse 
to  the  [(refects,  having  the  pleasure  to  point  out  to 
them  that  the  Government  desires  tliat  the  most  ample 

I   hberty  shall  be  given  to  non-Catholics  to  bury,  in  that 

j  part  of  the  cemetery  allotted  to  them  (and  wliich  can 
be  cukrged  when  needed),  the  dead,  in  such  manner 
as  theii-  religious  rit<'s  and  customs  requii-e,  providi'd 


13  I 


only  that  the  public  health  shall  not  be  endangered  i 
thereby.' 

I  find  that  the  newspaper  entitled  La  Via  di  Roma, 
recommended  in  the  last  number  of  the  Buona  Novella, 
is  projected  by  Signor  Niccolini.    I  have  not  heard 
whether  it  is  fairly  launched  or  not;  and  that  the  re- 
commendation was  wholly  tlie  act  of  the  editor,  without 
the  cognisance  of  the  Committee  who  managed  the 
Buona  Novella.    A  partial  attempt  to  make  up  for  the  | 
loss  of  this  paper  has  been  already  ina<le  by  the  most 
zealous  business  man  the  Vaudois  Cliurch  possesses — 
Dr.  Revel,  Professor  of  Tlieology  in  Florence,  and 
President  of  the  Waldensian  Commission  of  Evangelisa- 
tion.   He  has  published,  at  the  end  of  January,  the 
first  number  of  a  little  quarterly  joiu-nal,  on  the  model 
of  77ie  Voice  from  Italy,  entitled     Mcssagcjiere  Evan- 
gclico  d! Italia,  containing  letters  from  the  evangelists 
at  the  different  stations  occupied  by  the  Waldensian 
Church,  indicating  the  progress  of  their  work,  or  its 
hindrances.    The  first  number  is  an  exceedingly  inte-  1 
resting  one,  and  the  only  matter  of  regret,  it  appears  to  | 
me,  is  that  it  is  intended  only  for  'private  circulation.  | 
I  trust  its  editor  will  soon  see  his  way  to  a  monthly 
publication,  and  I  am  convinced  it   will  prove  in- 
finitely more  interesting  to  friends  of  the  gospel  in 
Italy,  residing  abroad,  than  the  Buona  Novella  ever  ' 
did,  from  its  bringing  the  coiTc.spondcnce  of  the  mis-  ' 
siouaries  with  all  minutenoss  of  detail  under  their  own  | 
eyes.    In  Italy  itself,  however,  this  does  not  supply  the  | 

place  left  vacant  by  the  Buona  Novella.  \ 

I 

The  most  remarkable  feature  of  the  present  time,  in 
the  religious  history  of  Tuscany  (perhaps  I  might 
almost  say  of  Central  Italy),  and  especially  a  most  en- 
couraging one,  is  the  number  of  applications  which, 
within  the  last  two  months,  have  been  made  to  various 
labourers  in  the  mission  fiekl,  from  small  handfuls  of 
enquirers  after  evangelical   truth,   residing   in  the 
countiy  towns  at  a  distance  from  the  centres  of  influ- 
ence, to  have  preachers  sent  to  them,  to  make  known 
the  glad  tidings  of  salvation.    This  is  the  result  of  the 
colporteur's  labours.    Within  the  time  specified,  there 
have  been  applications  by  letter,  signed  sometimes 
by  six,  sometimes  by  twelve,  or  twenty  individuals  fronj 
Grosseto,   Campiglia,  and  Fitto  (di)  Cecina  in  the 
Maremma,  from  Volterra  and  Perugia  ;  and  from  Fojano 
in  Val  di  Cliianti.    Mr.  Meyer,  from  Ancona,  has  just 
gone  to  Perugia  in  answer  to  such  a  requisition,  and  \ 
M.  Combe,  a  Waldensian  evangelist,  has  been  a  month  j 
stationed  there,  after  a  former  exploring  visit  j)aid  to  it  | 
by  Mr.  McDougall,  of  Florence.    M.  Ribetti,  Walden- 
sian jiastor  at  Leghorn,  lias  just  returned  from  a 
fortnight's  missionai-y  tour,  during  whicli  he  has  visittnl 
Grosseto,  Fojano,  Siena,  and  Volterra,  and  [^reached  in 
them  all.    Ho  is  much  satisfied  with  what  lie  has  seen 
and  heard.    He  will  himself  visit  Gro.sscto  from  time 
to  time.    A  room  has  been  hired  at  length  in  V^olterra,  ^ 
notwithstanding  the  efforts  of  the  bishop  and  priest-  | 
hood,  which  had  nearly  closed  that  city  against  the  | 
Protestant  herctjfs,  and  Signor  Perazzi,  an  ex-priest,  is 
to  be  stationed  there  as  evangelist.    Fojano  is  to  be  sup- 
plied with  religious  instruction  by  a  young  Scottish  mis- 
sionary, Sir.  Simpson  Ray,  resident  at  Siena,  who  camo  | 
out  nine-months  ago  to  devote  himself  <'ntirely  to  Italian  ! 
mission  work,  and  has  already  made  such  progress  in  j 
acquiring  the  language,  that  he  is  able  to  conduct  divine 


14 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


Makch  2, 1863. 


service  in  it  each  Sabbath,  to  a  small  congregation  in 
that  city.  M.  Prochet,  the  Waldensian  evangelist  in 
Lucca,  continues  to  meet  with  much  opposition,  but  he 
also  continues  steadfast,  and  will  by  God's  blessing 
succeed.  The  evangelical  cause  in  the  island  of  Elba  is, 
through  the  grace  of  God,  very  flourishing  at  present. 
Marchand,  Waldensian  pastor,  has  been  lately  visiting 
Florence  and  Leghorn,  to  raise  subscriptions  for  build- 
ing a  church  at  the  little  town  of  Rio,  his  flock  having 
previously  raised  1,000  frs.  among  themselves,  thougli 
all  poor  labourers.  The  following  extract  from  a  letter 
of  his,  dated  February  6,  will  be  read  with  interest, 
^  The  result  of  my  collections  at  Florence  and  Leghorn, 
has  been  cause  of  great  joy  to  niy  flock,  who  now  begin 
to  believe  in  the  realisation  of  what  they  have  so  long 
and  ardently  desired.  Last  Monday  I  had  the  joy  of 
baptizing  a  child  at  Longone.  Fifteen  persons  from 
Eio  went  thither  to  assist  at  the  ceremonj',  and  six 
brethren  came  from  Porto  Ferrajo,  so  that  there  were 
about  thirty  evangelid  present  in  all.  It  is  impossible 
to  describe  to  you  the  excitement  which  this  act  caused 
in  the  town.  Our  place  of  meeting  was  so  crowded 
that  it  was  with  difSculty  I  reached  the  chair  placed  for 
me.  All  the  bourgeoisie  of  the  locality  were  assembled 
to  have  a  near  view  of  this  baptism,  which  had  been 
announced  as  fabulous  !  After  some  exhortations,  the 
reading  of  the  Vaudois  liturgy  for  baptism,  and  the 
baptismal  act,  all  retired  quietly,  saying,  '  That  is  not 
like  what  they  told  us,"  some  adding,  "that  is  the  true 
baptism  ; "  According  to  the  custom  of  the  country,  we 
were  covered  with  a  veritable  shower  of  bonbons,  cen- 
times, &c.  We  were  afterwards  conducted  with  music 
to  the  house  of  the  parents,  without  a  cry  or  a  hiss 
being  heard  from  the  immense  crowd  which  followed 
us.  Sacred  music  not  being  yet  introduced  at  that 
station,  our  sisters  of  Rio  sang  several  hymns  before 
leaving  the  family,  which  filled  our  hearts  with  love  and 
gladness.' 

An  Italian  church  having  been  built  at  Pisa,  chiefly 
through  the  exertions  of  Mrs.  Young,  an  English  lady 
long  resident  there,  was  opened  for  public  worship  about 
the  end  of  last  month.  The  former  evangelist  Signor 
Tecchi,  having  died  last  summei-.  Signor  di  Michelis, 
a  young  man  lately  a  student  with  Dr.  Di  Sanctis  at 
Genoa,  has  been  gent  to  succeed  him,  and  he  is  higlily 
spoken  of,  both  by  Dr.  Di  Sanctis  and  Professor 
Mazzarella. 

The  New  Waldensian  church,  in  connection  with  the 
Theological  College  in  Florence,  is  now  nearly  ready  to 
be  opened,  and  the  19th  of  March  has  been  fixed  as  the 
day  on  which  the  dedication  service  is  to  take  place. 
It  is  simple  but  very  elegant,  and  does  credit  to  the 
taste  of  Signor  I'uini,  the  architect,  who  is  one  of  the 
deacons  of  the  Waldensian  congregation.  The  fitting 
up  of  this  church  Iws  been  can-icd  out  chiefly  at  the 
expense  of  James  Burns,  Esq.,  of  Bloomhill,  Dumbarton- 
shire. The  new  schools  in  another  part  of  the  Palazzo 
Salviati,  fitted  up  through  the  liberality  of  Mr.  Hen- 
derson, of  Park,  will  be  opened  probably  on  the  same 
day. 

In  addition  to  the  appointment  which  Signor  Mazza- 
rella holds  as  a  professor  in  the  University  of  Genoa,  he 
has  just  been  appointed,  by  the  Mini.stcr  of  Justice,  one  of 
the  judges  of  the  Court  of  Appeal  in  that  city,  in  re- 
cognition of  his  tjilents,  and  without  solicitation  on  his 
part.  Tliis  is  highly  honourable  to  him,  and  all  who 
know  how  his  prospects  were  bUghted  in  the  kingdom 


of  Bomba,  on  account  of  his  adherence  to  constitutional 
principles  at  the  time  when  the  king  perjured  himself, 
must  rejoice  at  it.  The  priestly  paper,  L'Armonia,  made 
a  most  \'iolent  attack  upon  him,  as  soon  as  the  appoint- 
ment was  known,  both  as  regards  professional  ability, 
and  religious  views.  We  rejoice  to  see  his  talents 
and  merits  at  last  recognised  by  Government. 
February  1863.   


The  following  extracts  are  from  an  article  by  Dr. 
Passaglia,  which  appeared  in  the  Mediatore,  in  answer 
to  an  article  of  the  Civita  Cnttolica,  bearing  the 
ominous  title,  '  Genesi  del  movimenlo  cterodosso  Italiano.' 

'The  author  of  this  article  has  all  the  appearance 
of  one  of  those  ignorant  and  stupid  preachers,  who 
ha-ving  abstracted  some  old  manuscript  from  the  chest 
where  the  undergraduates'  ess.^ys  are  kept,  adapts  it 
for  delivery  on  all  occasions,  for  all  saints  and  all 
countries,  careful  of  nothing  but  gaining  the  all- 
important  fee.  Because  he  has  read  somewhere  that 
Protestantism  in  Germany  has  led  the  way  to  religious 
scepticism,  the  simple  scribbler  prognosticates  the 
same  fate  to  Italy,  unmindful  of  the  diflference  in  habits 
and  dispositions  between  the  Germans  and  the  Italians, 
as  well  as  the  remarkable  diversity  of  the  times.  And, 
indeed,  we  wish  we  could  see  through  the  same 
spectacles  as  the  worthy  Jesuit,  being  weU  assured 
that  if  Italy  had  to  pass  into  a  state  of  religious  in- 
difiTerence  by  the  way  of  Protestantism,  .she  would 
never  fall  into  that  sad  extreme ;  for  there  is  nothing 
so  repugnant  to  the  Italians  as  the  cold  and  dry 
worship  of  Protestants.  But  the  misfortune  is  that 
a  great  part  of  the  Italians  have  no  longer  to  make 
this  passage :  alas !  they  have  already  long  since 
become  sceptical  and  indifferent  to  religion ;  and 
not  by  means  of  Protestantism,  though  from  the  same 
reasons  as  those  which  at  former  periods  favoured 
the  diffusion  of  Protestant  principles  in  Europe, 
namely,  from  the  indecent  confusion  of  things  sacred 
and  profane,  in  which  the  Court  of  Rome  so  obstinately 
persists,  and  also  from  the  superstitions  which  are 
attempted  to  be  imposed  for  the  justification  of  abuses 
which  true  religion  cannot  tolerate.  For  one  must 
renounce  common  sense  or  honesty  to  undertake  to 
deny  that  false  miracles  do  not  bring  discredit  on 
the  true  ones,  or  that  exaggerations  in  worship  do 
not  expose  worship  to  ridicule,  or  that  proclaiming 
Heaven's  intervention  to  support  tjTanny  does  not 
lead  to  the  conclusion  that  God's  influence  in  human 
affairs  is  but  a  priestly  invention ;  that  to  make  the 
confessional  the  means  for  exciting  civil  revolt  and 
military  desertion  does  not  repel  the  masses  from  that 
salutary  means  of  conversion  ;  or  that  to  turn  the 
pulpit  into  a  chair  for  advocating  the  temporal  interests 
of  a  Court,  the  very  name  of  which  denotes  the 
quintescence  of  worldliness,  and  into  an  engine  for 
invoking  curses  upon  political  dissentients,  does  not 
keep  away  from  the  house  of  God  all  except  the 
fanatical  and  the  bigoted.  And  yet,  in  the  face  of 
all  these  practices,  ine\'itably  productive  of  religious 
indifference,  are  we  to  hear  that  result  set  down  to 
the  action  of  Protestantism?  There  are  three  sets 
of  persons  to  be  distinguished  in  modern  society,  with 
rsgard  to  religion  ;  the  ignorant  and  credulous  vulgar, 
to  whom  vice  is  compatible  with  a  superstitous 
observance  of  the  ceremonies ;  the  few  wise  who, 
distinguishing  between  matters  of  pure  faith  and  of 


M.\Rcn  2, 1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHUECH. 


free  opinion,  between  religious  ordinances  and  those 
who  administer  them,  remain  faithful  to  the  doctrine 
and  practices  of  Catholicism  ;  and  the  immense  mul- 
titude of  the  half-taught,  who,  able  to  detect  falsehood, 
yet  unable  to  find  out  the  pure  Christian  teaching 
in  the  midst  of  the  rubbish  of  sectarian  exaggeration, 
give  up  the  truth,  together  with  the  error,  and  without 
passing  through  Protestantism  fall  directly  into  in- 
difference. Such  is  the  actual  state  of  society  among 
us — let  the  Jesuits  alter  it  if  they  can  by  their  sophistry 
and  lying.  .  .  . 

'But  let  the  reader  hear  their  own  words  on  the 
successive  procedure  of  Protestant  influences  in 
European  politics.  It  is  stated  that  "  those  influences 
may  with  regard  to  their  procedure  be  considered  in 
this  order  of  events :  viz.  1.  From  Luther  to  the 
peace  of  Westphalia  ;  2.  From  that  peace  to  Voltaire  ; 
3.  From  Voltaire  to  the  Reign  of  Terror ;  4.  Thence 
to  the  Kestoration;  6.  From  the  Eestoration  to  1848  ; 
and  6th,  from  1848  to  the  present  day."  .  .  .  They 
also  say  that  before  the  sixteenth  century  "Europe 
was  as  it  were  labii  unius,  such  was  the  international 
charity  that  knit  together  the  Christian  peoples :  the 
immense  harmony  of  this  choi-us  which  declared  like 
the  heavens  the  glory  of  its  Maker,  was  preserved 
consonant,  sweet,  and  pure,  by  means  of  that  chief 
master  who  directed  it  from  the  Vatican."  Now  this 
is  all  very  well  for  some  idyll ;  history,  however,  says 
that  Europe  was  in  the  middle  ages  in  a  constant  state 
of  war ;  that  the  Empire,  restored  by  the  Popes,  not 
to  give  unity  to  Euroj^e  but  to  gain  a  protector  for 
the  Church,  became  in  its  turn  a  new  source  of  trouble 
—so  grievous  and  continual  that  the  "  master  "  of  the 
Vatican  had  to  place  himself  at  the  head  of  the  Guelphs, 
or,  as  they  would  now  be  called,  the  Opposition  party  ; 
and  that  the  age  which  preceded  that  of  Luther — 
which  according  to  these  Jesuits  must  have  been  the 
last  of  the  sweet  and  pure  harmony — was  defiled  with 
such  political  wickedness,  and  public  and  private 
immorality,  "che  non  basta  Giuda  a  sostfenerne  il 
puzzo." ' 

'  After  speaking  of  the  period  from  Luther  to  the 
Treaty  of  Westplialia,  the  Civiltd  goes  on  to  say  : — 
"  This  treaty  inti'oduced  religious  indifference  into 
international  relations,  by  declaring,  in  effect,  that  the 
true  God  and  th(i  way  to  servo  Him  were  subjects  of 
uncertainty."  This,  again,  is  a  solemn  impostiu-e  ;  for 
civil  toleration,  far  from  implying  indifference,  pays 
homage  to  th(!  spirituality  and  sacredness  of  religion. 
Would  the  Jesuits  have  had  the  Protestants  all  cut  off 
by  the  hordes  of  Wallenstinn,  or  that  now  the  Catholics 
should  be  persecuted  in  Russia,  Holland,  Switzerland, 
Denmark,  and  England  ?  For  to  proclaim  intolerance 
against  Protestants  in  Catholic  states,  and  liberty  for 
Catliolics  in  Protestant  countries,  is  such  an  absur- 
dity, that  the  writers  of  the  Civilta  alone  could  con- 
ceive it. 

'But  there  has  been  a  coiiiilry  in  which  the  Protes- 
tants were  hrst  persecuted  by  a  long  and  cruel  war, 
then  massacred  by  treachery,  aftei-wards  tolerated  for 
some  years,  and  at  last  weri^banished  at  the  suggestion 
of  the  Fathers  of  the  Company;  and  that  was  the 
very  country  in  which  "  atheism  and  religious  indiffer- 
ence, favoured  by  unbridled  licence,  grew  up  to  gigantic 
dimensions,  first  in  the  Court  and  among  the  most 
eminent  classes  of  Society,  where  it  resulted  in  the 
shamelessness  of  the  ago  of  VolUvire ;  and,  thence- 


forward extending  among  the  inferior  classes,  ended  by 
producing  that  horde  of  cut-throats  who  tendered  their  | 
services  to  triumphant  Jacobinism,  in  the  name  of  the  ; 
sovereign  people."    AU  these  events,  if  history  is  to  be  j 
trusted,  took  place  in  France.   Now  observe  the  logical  j 
acumen  of  tliese  Jesuits.     According  to  what  they  j 
said,  the  toleration  introduced  by  the  Treaty  of  West-  | 
phalia  was  to  lead  to  indifference,  thence  to  Voltairi- 
anism, thence  to  end  in  the  reign  of  terror.    But,  in 
point  of  fact,  these  results  have  taken  place  in  the  very 
country  where  no  tolerance  existed,  and  where  Protes- 
tantism never  wUl   be  popular,  were  it  only  from 
antipathy  to  the  English !    The  true  causes  of  unbelief  j 
in  France  wLU  be  found  by  the  candid  reader  of  history 
in  the  reaction  which,  sooner  or  later,  follows  perse- 
cuting fanaticism ;  in  the  prolonged  contentions  be- 
tween Janseni.sts  and  Jesuits;  in  the  scandals  of  tho 
Courts  of  Louis  XIV.,  of  the  Regency,  and  of  Louis 
XV. — scandals  in  which  the  cardinals  and  bishops 
had  no  small  share.     These  were  the  causes  which, 
combined  with  the  many  grievous  disorders  in  the 
Government  and  in  society  to  bring  down  the  storm  of 
1792. 

'  .  .  .  We  \rill  not  go  on  to  examine  the  application 
which  is  made  by  the  Jesuitical  journal  to  the  present 
Italian  movement,  after  a  long  tirade   of  rhetoric 
against  the  errors  and  desolations  of  the  French  Revo- 
lution.   Eagerness  to  produce  the  impression  that  the  | 
Italian  movement  is  essentially  irreligious,  makes  these 
writers  shamelessly  pervert  everything  in  past  history, 
and  we  would  ask  the  candid  reader  what  credit  such 
persons  can  claim  for  their  representations  of  what  is 
taking  place  in  our  own  day?    When  men  calling 
themselves  priests  and  monks  have  the  audacity  to  say 
that,  in  order  to  obtain  the  many  thousand  signatures 
of  the  clergy  to  the  petition  addressed  by  us  to  the 
Pope,  we  have  used  the  threat  of  assassination,  there  is 
no  misstatement,  no  slander,  no  foul  injury,  which  may  ! 
not  be  expected  from  them  ;  as,  indeed,  there  is  no  j 
evil  with  which  God  would  not  visit  His  Church,  if  I 
such  apologists  were  suffered  long  to  uphold  her.' 


The  establishment  at  Porta  Romana  is  now  divided 
into  two  departments,  one  of  which  is  made  to  serve 
as  a  school,  whQe  the  other  continues  to  be  employed 
for  preaching.  I  have  hitherto  been  used  to  visit  it 
twice  a  week,  and  I  found  at  first  a  considerable 
congregation,  but  it  has  since  then  diminished  sensibly. 
The  like  may  be  said  of  the  operatives  who  used  to 
attend  the  evening  school.  At  first  we  had  up  to 
67,  of  whom  27  now  remain.  The  day-school  only 
comprises  about  ten  pupils. 

In  the  school-hall  a  converted  priest  preaches  the 
gospel  every  Sunday  evening ;  and  here  again  the 
number  of  hearers,  which  was  considerable  at  first, 
got  greatly  diminished  as  time  went  on.  In  my 
opmion  this  result  mu.it  be  attributed,  I  regret  to  say 
it,  not  merely  to  tht?  efforts  of  the  priests,  but  to  those 
of  our  separated  brethren,  who,  as  far  as  in  them  lies, 
are  dissuading  their  friends  from  coming  to  hear  us. 
At  present  the  ex-priost  B —  is  employed  by  Sig. 
P — ,  the  agent  of  the  Wesleyan  Society;  and  Sig. 
L —  has  told  him,  that  in  consequence  of  his  having 
entered  into  relations  with  foreign  pastors,  he  meant 
no  more  to  have  anything  to  do  with  liim.  Sig.  B— 
will  open  at  the  commencement  of  the  year  a  preaching- 


16 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTLVN  CHURCH. 


March  2,  18G3. 


J 


hall  in  another  quarter  of  the  city  ;  and  in  this  manner 
tliere  will  be  five  establishments  opened  for  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  in  the  Italian  language. 

Our  chapel  of  St.  Maria  Valle  is,  thank  God,  always 
well  attended ;  and  seeing  that  the  congregation  is  dif- 
ferent in  the  morning  and  in  the  evening,  I  reckon  that 
no  less  than  150  pei-sons  must  hear  there  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel.  The  number  of  those  who  commuuicate, 
including  the  born  Protestants,  is  about  thirty.  The 
steady  progress  of  my  Sunday-school  emboldens  me 
to  hope  for  the  future.  Having  begun  it  with  three 
or  four  children,  I  now,  to  my  great  satisfaction, 

1  number  twenty-four.  These  are  almost  always  led  to 
the  school  by  a  nurse  or  a  motlior,  and  this  fact  leads 
people  to  take  great  interest  in  the  institution.  Thanks 
to  the  help  of  some  few  ladies  like  Mrs.  W.,  Mile.  O., 
and  Princess  C,  who  has  now  for  two  months  been 
regidarly  attending  our  services,  my  mother  has 
succeeded  in  arranging  a  very  pretty  Clu-istma-s  treat 
for  these  dear  children,  with  a  tree,  and  presents  of 
books,  or  of  articles  of  dress,  according  to  the  position 
of  each  child.  Pastor  W.  came  himself  to  dii^tribute 
among  the  children  a  cake  that  had  been  made  express 

I    for  them. 

The  day  after  Chri-^tmas-day  I  repaired  to  Brcsciji, 
and  there  presided  over  two  meetings,  in  one  of 
which  the  Lord's  Supper  was  administered.  The  work 
is  going  on  regularly ;  new  brethren  are  taking  the 
vacant  places  of  those  who  have  been  compelled  by 
business  to  quit  the  city.  A  number  of  them  show 
signs  of  true  spirituality,  but  many  of  them  are  still 
very  behindhand.  Tlie  same  may  be  oaid  of  the 
Milan  congregation. 

We  have  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  amongst  us 
again  the  young  man  of  whom  I  had  spoken  to  the 
Committee.  At  first  an  unbeliever,  then  convertinl  in 
our  unions,  and  thence  drawn  away  by  the  influence 
of  his  mother,  who  hoped,  in  this  way,  to  make  him 
forget  his  new  religious  ideas,  he  has  now  come 
back  more  zealous  and  stead}'  than  ever.  He  edified 
j  MB  yesterday  by  reflections,  which  were  at  once  oppor- 
j  tune  and  profound.  He  is  now  employed  in  the 
Prefecture. 

Milan,  Feb.  1863. 


SWITZERLAND. 

I    Geneva  has  always  had  the  privilege  of  showing,  not- 
withstandnig  its  narrow  limits,  its  capability  of  com- 
I    pleting  wliat  it  had  commenced.     It  is  not  oUier- 
I    wise  at  this  moment.    The  current  of  e\-il  is  strong, 
wide-spread,  formidable.      The  current  of  good  is 
i     strong  also  ;  and  all  our  labours  have  for  their  object 
I     to  make  the  good  overcome  the  evil.     But  here  lies 
'     the  great  difficulty.    How  to  reach  the  evil?  How 
j    to  prevent  the  wicked  from  becoming  still  worse  ?  How 
■     to  make  Christianity  penetrate  into  the  various  portions 
'    of  our  social  body.  It  is  true  that  we  feel  not  in  Geneva, 
I     as  in  your  great  metropolis  and  large  towns,  the  abso- 
I    lute  want  of  religious  knowledge  amongst  many  of  the 
people.    The  pastor  visits  once  a  year  all  the  houses  in 
his  parLsh,  and  the  sick  and  the  dying  are  specially 
visited.    The  admission  to  the  Sacrament  is  preceded 
by  long  instructions  (for  an  entire  year),  to  which  xery 
few  refuse  to  attend.    It  is  amongst  strangers  that 


I  we  find  ignorance  regai-ding  the  elements  of  Chris- 
tianity. But  ignorance  has  at  least  one  advan- 
tage, because,  when  Christianity  is  preached,  it  is  pre- 
sented as  a  great  and  striking  novelty,  wliilst  -Hith 
us  those  who  have  not  been  renewed  in  mind  and 
I  heart  regard  it  as  an  old  talc  without  attraction.  Thus 
it  often  happens  that  we  have  greater  satisfaction  with 
strangers  than  among  people  of  the  same  class  of  our 
own  country.  There  is  in  Geneva,  as  in  all  other  cities, 
a  strong  current  of  public  opinion.  Those  who  do  not 
embrace  this  opinion  are  the  most  hostile  to  it.  The 
great  enemies  of  the  papacy  in  Europe  belong  to  Eome. 
The  enemies  of  the  gospel  are  more  hostile  with  us 
than  in  many  other  Protestant  countries.  But  I  thank 
God  that  these  obstacles  have  stimulated  our  zeal.  I 
do  not  say  this  boastinglj'.  We  acknowledge  before  ' 
God  how  far  we  are  yet  from  doing  all  we  could  or 
ought  to  do,  but  we  can  in  the  meantime  confidently 
state  that  for  the  last  thirty  years  there  has  not  been 
any  work  in  the  Christian  world  with  which  we  have 
not  been  associated,  whether  in  introducing  it  among 
ourselves,  or  in  recommending  it  to  those  around  us. 

The  canton  of    Neufchatel  has  among  its  clergy 
men  of  great  knowledge  and  piety.    There  also  the 
current  of    eril  is  powerful,  and  radicalism  shows 
itself  still  more  hostile  than  with  us,  if  not  to  the  j 
gospel,  at  least  to  the  Church  and  clergj-.    The  Neuf-  ! 
chatel  constitution  requires  the  pastor  to  be  subjected,  ! 
every  eight  years,  to  reelection.    Every  eighth  year, 
therefore,  each  parish  is  called  upon  to  vote  for  a  pastor, 
and  is  emjwwercd  to  retain  or  dismiss  its  former  mini- 
ster.   Notwithstanding  this  humiliating  position,  the 
Neufchdtel  clergymen  have  known  how  to  maintain  up 
to  the  prosent  time  all  the  dignity  of  an  evangelical 
ministry ;  and  it  is  just  to  add  that  the  parishioners  on 
their  part  have  continued  to  respect  it. 

The  Canton  of  Vaud  is  on  the  point  of  adopting  a 
new  ecclesiastical  organisation,  which  will  allow  it,  we 
hope,  to  take  a  more  active  part  in  Christian  work.  ' 
Until  now  the  Government  was  the  cliief  of  the  Church,  i 
and  attempted  to  rule  the  Church  directly,  exacting  I 
from  it  all  the  rights  of  an  episcopacy.    Now,  in  a  j 
state  so  democratic,  where  popular  favour  is  at  times  ! 
very  blind  in  its  clioice,  the  Church  may  be  given  up  to  i 
its  enemies.    It  was  this  which  gave  rise  to  the  crisis  1 
of  1845  in  the  Canton  of  Vaud.    At  that  time  more  | 
than  the  half  of  the  pastors  quitted  their  functions. 
We  hope  that  the  new  organisation  will  terminate  what 
remains  of  this   evil.    More  than  a  year  ago  they 
rescinded  the  laws  which  the  legislature  of  1815  had  i 
passed  against  religious  freedom.    AVill   it   succeed  ; 
sufficiently  to  destroy  the  ancient  spirit  of  the  Govern-  j 
ment?    The   project   of  the  new  constitution,  as  I  j 
understand  it,  makes  me  doubtfid ;   I  see  in  it  too  | 
many  things  submitted  to  the  Government.    There  h  j 
not  any  country,  I  believe,  where  the  union  of  the 
church  and  the  state  leaves  to  the  Church  such  entire 
control  as  in  Geneva.    It  is  to  this  we  are  indebted  for  j 
ha\ing  been  able  to  make  progress  and  prosper  under 
an  immoral  and  infidel  Government.    Conflicts  might 
easily  arise  between  the  cossistory  and  the  company  of 
pastors,  this  latter   body  having  all  the  traditiional 
authority,  whilst  the  consistory  is  no  longer  as  under 
the  ancient  constitution  of  Calvin,  but  is  the  adminis- 
trative body  of  tlie  Church  created  by  the  constitution 
of  1847.    Meanwhile  they  progress  amicably.  There 
has  not  been  between  them  any  other  conflict  up  to  the 


Mabch  2, 1S63. 


WORK  OF  THE  CIIIIISTL\.X  CIIUIICIL 


17 


present  time,  but  that  emulation  which  causes  them  to 
labour  more  for  the  advannemont  of  the  kingdom  of 
God.  The  emancipation  of  tho  churches  will  be,  we 
hope,  one  of  the  great  features  of  the  history  of  our 
century.  I  do  not  mean  by  that  the  separation  of  the 
state— I  spc;ik  merely  of  the  countries  where  union 
will  b(^  maintained,  while  a  conception  more  and  more 
ju-st  of  t!ie  true  rights  and  true  duties  of  the  Cluirch 
will  be  formed. 
Geneva,  Feh.  1863. 


riiUSSTA. 

Dt  iiiNO  this  winter  we  have  had  here  very  interesting 
ledures.    Your  readers  most  probably  know  that  every 
winter  a  course  of  twelve  lectures  is  delivered  by  some 
of  the  most  eminent  men  of  tlie  kingdom.  Sometimes 
celebrateil  men,  even  from  other  German  States,  are  in- 
vit<'d  to  come  here  and  deliver  lectures  on  subjects  and 
themes  they  tliemselves  choose.    One  of  the  last  lec- 
turi'S  was  delivered  by  Dr.  TVichern,  on  the  causes 
of  thi'  frequent  experience  at  the  first  of  unsuecwsful 
endeavoxu'S   to   educate    and    train   children.  Dr. 
Wichern  stated  in  the  opening  of  his  address,  that  a 
deep-rooted  and  all  pervading  struggle  was  going  on 
at  the  present  time  ;  in  fact,  evil  and  good  were  measur- 
ing tlii'ir  sU'cnglh.   Everything  is  questioned.  Notliing 
exists  against  which  opposition  and  contradiction  had  not 
been  h^ard.    Countless  multitudes  have  thrown  off  all 
fear  and  all  faith  ;  tliey  believe,  in  fact,  nothing  —  no- 
thing is  holy  to  them,  notlung  tlicy  revere  or  fear  ;  the 
fundamental  truths  of  our  faitli  —  the  Bible,  and  every- 
thing which  men  generally  love  and  respect,  they  hate, 
revile,  and  mock  at.    Connected  with  this  is  their  con- 
stant cry  fur  liberty — personal,  individual,  unrestrained 
liberty  to  act  as  they  like,  as  everi/one  personally  likes, 
without  the  slightest  respect  to  his  neiglibour  to  the 
whole.  Obedience,  piety,  respect,  and  esteem,  are  thrown 
off  entirely.  Parents  consequently  ask,  What  guarantee 
have  we  for  the  future  with  regard  to  tlie  education  and 
training  of  our  cliildren?    Public  life  is  a  sea  raging 
wiliUy    the  waves  in  the  fiercest  conflict  tlireatening  to 
swallow  up  everything ;  what  are  we  to  do  that  our 
children,  about  to  be  thrown  into  this  raging  sea,  may 
not  be  drowned?     Everyone  who  has  had  to  do  with 
education,  knows  wliat  a  powerful  effect  on  the  rising 
generation  the  ideas  of  1830  and  1848  have  exerci.sed, 
and  how  they  have  gained   ground.     Dr.  Wichern 
gave  his  own  experience,  and  advised  the  parents  how 
to  act.    The  parents  have  to  exercise  their  royal  priest- 
hood in  th<'  house  in  the  midst  of  their  family  ;  the 
more  effectually  they  do   this,  the   greater  will  be 
the  influence  th<'y  exercise  for  good  on  the  minds  of 
their  ehildreji.  However,  it  is  a  fact  that,  out  of  a  great 
number  of  families,  called  Cliristiau  families  in  reality 
and  truth,  duldron  have  gone  forth  who  have  broken 
thnnigli  all  restraints,  and  taken  their  standpoint  ju.st 
opi)Osite  lo  that  of  their  parentis,  joining  the  i-nemies  of 
Christ.  What  may  t  he  cause  be  of  tliia  apparent  anomaly? 
Have  the  pious  parents  (xhu'ated  their  children  more 
by  tJ\e  law  tlian  Ijy  grace— more  exercised  tlie  rigour 
of  the  Old  tlian  tlio  lovo  of  tho  New  Testament ;  or 
have  they  given  tliem  more  spiritual  food  than  the 
children  could  digest  ?  Can  you  scold  a  cliild — a  l)oy — 
tluit  ho  does  not  pray  ?  that  he  does  not  love  Christ 


Jesus,  and  punish  him  for  not  doing  it  ?  How  can  you 
expect  to  gain  V)y  violence  what  ought  to  be  tho  spon- 
taneous and  genuine  production  of  free  affection  ?  A 
great  fault  it  is,  when  the  Ciiri.stian  life  is  considered  as 
quite  a  distinct  and  separate  sphere  apart  from  and  be- 
yond the  daily  life  and  conversation,  instead  of  consider- 
ing it  as  the  leaven  which  ought  to  penetrate  every  deed, 
word,  and  thought — as  the  sun,  which  enlightens  and 
enlivens  every  thing.  Nothing  is  so  dangerous  as  the 
over-feeding  and  over-loading  the  mind  with  religious 
instruction ;  nothing  .so  dangerous  as  cant  Christian 
words  without  power.  It  was,  indeed,  a  natural  and 
healthy  reaction  in  a  lad  of  fifteen  years  of  age, 
when  he  said  to  those  who  persecuted  him  with  their 
endeavours  to  convert  him,  and  make  him  a  Christian : 
'  I  will  do  everything  you  tell  me,  obey  j'ou  in  every- 
tliing ;  but  one  thing  I  will  not,  cannot  do — I  will  not 
be  a  Chri.stian,  and  will  never  become  one.'  This  boy 
was  considered  to  bo  quite  lost ;  but  ho  was  made  a 
Christian ;  and  in  after  life,  when  this  youtli  was  removed 
from  those  who  had,  by  their  false  love  and  care  for  his 
soul,  created  in  lam  a  disgust  against  the  very  name  of 
a  Christian,  and  was  placed  under  other  circumstances, 
among  those  who  never  talked  of  Cliristianity,  but 
acted  Cliri-stianity ;  when  he  saw  t\ic  simplicity,  truth, 
innocence,  grandeur,  and  majesty  of  Christianity,  he 
became  a  Christian,  who  thanked  God  on  his  knees  that 
he  had  learned  the  value  of  tlic  unspeakable  gift  of  the 
Bible  of  Christ.  Oh,  that  all  parents  might  learn  what 
a  lovely  and  tender  thing  faith  is — how  delicate  the 
spontaneous  rise  of  it  in  the  soul  of  man. 

TheFO  are  only  a  few  points  which  struck  me  very 
powerfully  in  tlie  lecture  of  Dr.  Wichern.  I  hope  we 
shall  see  it  published  ;  and  you  ought  to  give  a  trans- 
lation to  your  readers :  indee<l  it  deserves  it.  I  Wiis 
reminded  by  it  of  a  fact  which  occurred  a  few  montlis 
ago,  and  which  goes  far  to  prove  how  fearful  the  aliena- 
tion of  the  minds  of  childr(.'n  is  from  all  autliority,  and 
how  the  children  at  the  scliool  talk  of  nothing  but  how  to 
break  through  all  restraints.  A  boy  of  eleven  years  of 
age,  son  of  a  military  man  in  high  rank,  in  the  coui'se 
of  conversation,  says  to  liis  motlier,  'Mamma,  I  wish  we 
lived  at  Hamburg.'  '  Why,  my  son  ? '  '  Because  there 
is  no  king  to  rule  over  us  in  Hamburg.  There  we 
should  be  free.'  There  was,  in  one  of  the  gjnnnasia  in 
Prussia,  in  one  of  the  lowest  classes  or  forms,  an 
association  formed  among  the  boys  of  from  twelve  to 
foui-teen  years  of  age.  The  statutes  of  this  association 
are  fearfully  atheistical.  The  first  paragraph  was  to  this 
effect  —  '  "Wlio  believes  in  a  God  is  excluded  from  this 
association.'  What  a  fearful  thing  for  a  parent  to  have 
to  send  his  sons  away  from  home  into  such  schools ! 
What  a  contagion  is  spreading  all  over  the  land ! 
However,  there  is  liglit  in  this  gross  darkness.  The 
gospel  has  never  been  proclaimed  so  powerfully  and 
effectually  all  over  the  land  as  in  our  time.  Prayer 
is  offered  up  in  the  churches  and  in  tho  families  more 
extensively  than  e^er  before.  The  Lord  has  bowed 
himself  downi  to  liear  and  answer  prayer. 

Tlie  first  week  of  this  year  was  observed  as  a  week 
of  prayer  by  many  children  of  the  Lord.  Here,  at  Rerl  in, 
services  too  were  held  at  different  places  of  worship. 
I  had  a  letter  from  St.  Petersburg,  staling  that  even 
there  the  believing  members  of  different  denomina- 
tions and  congregations  had  gathered  themselves 
together  for  mutual  prayer  during  that  week.  I  heard 
also  from  Bombay,  Maclra.s,  and  Calcutta.    lu  Mndnus 


18 


thoiisands  of  Christians  have  come  together,  in  the 
midst  of  heathen  darkness,  holding  up  the  hands  of 
their  ministers  and  missionaries  ;  in  Calcutta  and  Bom- 
bay, also,  thougli  not  to  such  an  extent.  May  we  not 
expect  that  the  Lord  will  amply  Lless  the  means  now 
■used,  which  He  himself  has  appointed!  Surely  He  is 
faithful,  and  keeps  his  promises.  Let  us  trust  in  Him, 
the  liA-ing  God.  He  will  hear,  if  we  only  continue  to 
pray  without  ceasing  and  wavering.  Wliat  a  grand 
thing,  tliat  in  Boniljay,  Madras,  Calcutta,  and  Lahore — 
in  St.  Petersburg,  Berlin,  and  London,  Constantinople, 
and  even  Kome  itself — all  over  the  world — belie^-ing 
prayers  are  offered  up  for  one  and  the  same  thing  ! 
If  two  or  tliree  agree  together  to  pray  for  a  thing, 
they  shall  surch'  receive  it.  Let  the  enemies  of  our 
Lord  be  ever  so  fierce  in  their  furious  assault  upon  his 
children,  they  shall  never  prevail.  (Ps.  ii.) 
Berlin,  Feb.  1863. 


CIjc  |nsii(ulion  of  ^t.  |o^it  nt  Sgcvliit. 

Although  the  Institution  of  which  we  are  about  to 
speak  is  of  recent  origin,  and  has  as  yet  a  limited 
sphere  of  activitj',  it  nevertheless  claims  a  high 
place  among  those  imdertakings  of  the  Evangelical 
party  in  Germany  which  are  rife  with  tlie  promises  of 
extensive  developemcnts  and  beneficial  results.  It  owes 
its  existence  to  Dr.  "Wichern,  the  well-known  founder 
of  the  '  Ratihe  Htms '  at  Hambm-gh ;  a  man  whose 
honoured  name  has  spread  far  beyond  the  confines  of 
his  own  land,  and  is  indeed  constantly  cited  wlienevcr 
attempts  are  made  to  bring  Christian  ideas  to  bear 
immediately  upon  national  and  individual  life. 

It  was  in  the  year  1858,  when  the  Hamburgh  '  Pauhe 
Haus'  celebrated  its  twenty -fifth  anniversary,  that  twelve 
of  the  brotliers  brought  up  witliin  its  walls  were  deputed 
to  form  a  new  establishment  at  Berlin,  mider  the  control 
of  Dr.  'Wicliern,  to  wliich  the  name  of  the  St.  John's 
Institution  was  appropriately  given  ;  its  gi-eat  object 
being  to  prove  in  action  the  truth  of  the  beloved  dis- 
ciple's declaration,  that  God  is  love,  and  to  act  in  the 
spirit  of  His  injunction,  'Let  us  not  love  in  word, 
neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  trutli.' 

The  primary  aim  of  this  institution,  tlien,  is  the 
bestowal  of  sueli  theoi'etical  instruction  and  practical 
guidance  upon  j-oung  men  of  good  moral  character  and 
firm  religious  principle — possessing  the  noccssarj'  qua- 
lifications and  inner  vocation — as  may  qualify  them  re- 
spectively for  the  several  posts  of  cit}-  missionarj', 
almoner,  hospital  attendant,  prison  official,  liead  of 
an  Orphan  liouse,  or  other  educational  establishment  of 
the  kind,  teacher  and  visitor  in  factories,  and  similar 
offices  connected  with  that  Home  Mission  to  which 
their  lives  arc  lovingly  devoted  ;  offices  too  often  inade- 
quately filled  or  altogether  neglected,  and  for  which, 
as  a  general  rule,  neitlier  the  State  nor  the  Church  in 
its  official  character  -nill  be  found  able  to  provide. 

Essential  as  it  is  to  secure  the  right  men  for  such 
tasks  as  we  have  enumerated — men  not  only  prepared 
cheerfully  to  undertake  the  toil  and  self-denial  with 
which  these  tasks  are  fraught,  but  fitted  to  perform 
them  successfully— nevertheless,  it  is  certain  that  tlie 
authorities,  whether  of  Church  or  State,  are  little  able 
to  seek  out  new  ones,  and  duly  train  these  men.  This 
must  be  the  work  of  voluntary  Christian  zeal,  or  it  will 
never  be  done  at  all ;  and  if  it  be  not  done,  it  seems  'im- 


Makch  2,  1863. 


possible  to  bring  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  to  bear  on 
large  masses  of  our  population,  estranged,  as  they  are, 
alas !  not  only  from  Christianising,  but  even  lunnanising 
influences.' 

In  so  short  a  sketch  as  the  present,  we  must  renounce 
the  attempt  i^^  give  any  account  of  the  manner  in  wliich 
the  above  important  object  lias  been  pursued  for  the  last 
thirty  y(>ars  at  tlie  Hamburgh  '  Rauhe  Haus '  by  Dr. 
Wichern,  and  of  its  actual  position  at  present ;  although 
we  are  strongly  tempted  to  do  both,  inasmuch  as  of 
hite  years — partly  througli  ignorance,  and  partly  through 
bad  feeling  and  avowed  enmity  to  Evangelical  religion — 
distorted  and  misleading  reports  have  been  spread 
abroad,  and  have  even  found  their  way  into  the  English 
press.  But  we  dismiss  the  subject  on  this  occasion,  and 
return  to  the  St  John's  Institution. 

Its  primary  object,  then,  as  we  have  seen,  is  to 
instruct  the  young  men  who  enrol  themselves  among 
its  members,  not  only  in  Holy  Scripture,  but  in  aU 
other  departments  of  knowledge  that  farther  .spiritual 
culture,  and  exercise  an  important  influence  upon  daily 
life.  These  young  men  are  also  placed  under  special 
practical  guidance,  and  experimentally  trained  to  un- 
dertake the  care  of  the  sick  and  destitute,  the  education 
of  children,  and  the  proper  way  of  dealing  with  wretched 
and  criminal  classes  wherever  found,  more  especially 
with  discharged  prisoners.  It  also  formed  part  of  the 
original  plan  to  gather  in  helpless,  neglected,  and 
deserted  children — children  of  prisoners  for  instance — 
and  to  bring  tliem  up  in  one  of  the  Houses  of  Rescue 
connected  with  the  St.  John's  Institution.  This  has 
been  in  some  measure  accomplished  ;  thirty  poor  boys 
having  been  already  coll<>cted,  all  belonging  to  the 
lowest  class  of  tlic  Berlin  population,  and  having,  for 
the  most  part,  been  in  the  hands  of  the  police.  Once 
these  poor  children  were  of  necessity  growing  and 
maturing  into  criminals,  now  the  blessing  of  a  home  is 
bestowed  upon  tliem,  where  they  are  simply,  indeed, 
but  liealthily  lodged  and  fed  ;  admirably  instructed, 
accustomed  to  gardening  and  manual  labour  of  various 
kinds,  and  prepared  by  good  discipline  and  cheerful 
industry  for  a  settled  and  honest  way  of  life.  Several 
of  these  have,  after  their  confirmation,  been  apprenticed 
to  respectable  tradesmen,  and  thus  the  brotherhood  not 
only  obtain  experience  in  tlie  difficult  task  of  educating 
neglected  and  demoralised  boys,  but  while  standing  by 
and  helping  them  ^\  ith  true  brotherly  love,  they  keep 
up  their  own  pitifuhiess  of  feeling  and  freshness  of  heart. 

Another  wide  spliere  of  activity  has  ojieued  out  to 
them  in  Berlin  itself  This  great  city  abounds  in 
poverty  and  moral  mi.sery  of  every  kind.  I  hope,  on 
some  future  occasion,  to  enter  more  in  detail  into  its 
manners  and  customs,  and  general  social  condition, 
and  to  give  a  few  sketclies  illustrative  of  the  character 
and  religious  condition  of  great  part  of  its  population. 
But,  on  the  present  occasion,  I  content  myself  with 
saying,  that  there  are  in  Berlin  at  least  30,000  inha- 
bitants who  have  already  been  punished  either  by  tlie 
police,  or  the  courts  of  justice,  and  of  them  a  con- 
siderable number  are  under  tlie  surveillance  of  the 
police  ;  and,  moreover,  that  this  number  is  constantly 
increased  by  the  discharges  of  prisoners  from  jails  and 
houses  of  correction — a  class  that  the  State  and  thp 
State  Church  are  almost  powerless  to  restore  to  the 
social  and  dxiX  position  they  have  forfeited.  It  is  the 
province  of  the  Brothers  of  St.  John's  Institution,  in 
common  with  thatof  the  chaplains  of  the  great  city  prisons 


WOEK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


March  2,  1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


19 


and  houses  of  correction,  as  well  as  of  the  workhouses 
and  lock-up  houses  in  the  suburb  of  '  Moabit,'  to  look 
after  a  portion  of  these  discharged  offenders,  who  are 
often  in  great  danger  of  utter  ruin  and  demoralisation  ; 
to  befriend  and  advise  them  ;  to  find  out  both  lodg- 
ings for  them  and  fit  employment,  and  in  every  way  to 
lend  them  a  helping  hand,  with  a  vie-w  to  preserving 
them  from  a  second  fall.  This  is,  no  doubt,  an  especially 
laborious  and  painful  duty,  requiring  much  discretion 
and  much  patience,  frequently  met  by  ingratitude,  leading 
into  the  darkest  recesses  of  society  and  of  the  human 
heart  ,  but  not  without  its  reward  and  rejoicing.  Many 
a  man  who  is  now  honestly  earning  his  daily  bread, 
leading  a  happy  domestic  life,  and  working  his  way 
back  to  social  respectability,  would  have  been  lost  with- 
out the  helping  hand  m'c  speak  of  With  regard  to 
juvenile  offenders  more  especially,  the  institution  has 
succeeded  in  finding  for  several,  after  the  expiration  of 
their  sentences,  good  places  in  the  country,  and,  by 
remo^-ing  them  from  the  temptations  of  Berlin,  ginng 
them  once  more  a  fair  start  in  life.  Then,  again,  the 
deep  distress  of  the  numerous  families  where  the  father 
is  in  prison,  or  under  detention  on  account  of  some 
violation  of  the  law,  affords  a  wide  sphere  for  benevo- 
lent exertion.  Such  families  lack  bread,  clothing, 
money  to  pay  their  rent — lack,  in  short,  everything  : 
and,  more  than  all,  they  lack  the  fear  of  God  and  do- 
mestic peace,  and  the  neglected  children  ine^ntably 
deteriorate.  Such  families  as  these  are  the  very  hot- 
beds of  future  crime.  Now  in  these  cases  it  is  the  aim 
of  the  Institution  of  St.  John,  not  only  to  afford  help 
and  counsel  to  the  best  of  their  power,  but  to  seek  to 
bring  the  army  of  the  clergy  and  of  ecclesiastical  organ- 
isations to  tlie  support  of  private  societies  and  indivi- 
dual benefactors,  so  as,  by  a  combined  effort,  to  ward 
off  extreme  pressure  and  family  ruin.  And  thus  the 
institution  affords  to  the  many  and  various  agencies  of 
Christian  beneficence  with  which  the  great  city  abomids, 
but  which  too  often  waste  their  strength  in  isolated 
endeavours,  a  central  point  of  union  and  reciprocal 
assisfcince.  Most  important  indeed  it  is,  that  in  all 
great  cities  benevolent  societies  should  have  such  a  point 
of  concentration,  while  at  the  same  time  retaining  their 
independence  and  free  agency. 

It  should  also  be  mentioned,  that  the  help  of  the 
institution  is  claimed  by  many  affluent  and  beneficent 
families,  with  a  view  to  the  proper  distribution  of  their 
charity.  In  Berlin,  as  everywhere  where  poverty  and 
vice  congregate,  nothing  is  more  common  than  begging 
and  begging-letters.  Now,  the  professional,  or  other- 
wise much  occupied  man,  the  high  in  ofiice,  or  the  lady 
of  rank,  alike  find  it  impossible  toexamine  into  individual 
cases  in  any  but  a  most  superficial  manner.  Few  have 
the  time  or  the  inclination  to  penetrate  into  the  most  out- 
of-the-way  parts  of  Berlin,  and  there  to  institute  enqui- 
ries and  take  means  to  unmask  the  numberless  forms  of 
artful  imposture  practised  by  the  professional  beggar, 
in  order  that  charity  may  not  be  thrown  away  on  the 
undi^erving.  Large  sums,  indeed,  are  annually  wasted 
by  a  miiitaken  benevolence  ;  nay,  they  positively  .serve 
to  complete  the  ruin  of  their  recipients.  Here,  again, 
the  intervention  of  the  St.  John's  Institi  tion  is  highly 
beneficial;  hundreds  of  begging-letters  being  sent  to 
the  l)rothers  by  private  individuals,  who  at  the  same 
time  enlnist  them  with  funds  to  be  laid  out,  after  due 
investigation,  in  the  relief  of  the  genuine  poor. 

A  section  of  the  brotherhood  is  also  regularly  em- 


ployed in  the  nursing  of  the  sick  at  the  largest  of  the 
Berlin  hospitals,  and  some  of  them  are  frequently  sum- 
moned by  private  families  to  assist  in  the  care  of 
painful  and  peculiar  cases.  In  such  cases  their  assist- 
ance is  felt  to  be  invaluable ;  for  the  nursing  that  is 
done  out  of  love  to  God  and  man  is  very  different  from 
mere  hired  nursing.  Numerous  applications  of  the 
kind  have  had,  imfortunately,  to  be  declined ;  the  re- 
soxirces  of  the  institution  proving  inadequate  to  the 
claims  made  upon  it. 

According  to  the  last  report,  we  find  that  since 
1858 — in  little  more,  therefore,  than  four  years — five 
brothers  have  been  appointed  to  congenial  posts  con- 
nected with  prison  management ;  for  they  are  only 
sent  to  fulfil  duties  for  which  they  have  a  special  call : 
tlu-ee  of  them  as  prison  sujserintcndents  ;  one  as  attend- 
ant upon  the  sick  in  a  house  of  correction  ;  one  as 
schoolmaster  to  the  prisoners.  A  sixth  has  become  the 
resident  manager  of  the  great  Evangelical  institution  in 
Berlin,  with  which  is  connected  a  Home  for  working 
men.  In  about  fifteen  cases,  seriously  afflicted  invalids 
have  been  attended  at  their  own  homes,  sometimes 
tliroughout  a  whole  year.  One  of  the  brothers  has  been 
invited  to  a  hospital  in  Nassau ;  another  received  a  call 
from  the  '  Comitd  d'Evangelisation  de  I'Eglise  r^formee' 
in  Paris,  there  to  labour  among  tlie  poor  Protestant 
Germans,  and  more  especially  to  undertake  the  religious 
instruction  of  their  children ;  tliree  others  were  sent 
two  j'ears  back,  together  with  a  fourth  who  came 
directly  from  the  parent  institution,  to  Sidon,  in  Syria, 
in  order  to  undertake  the  care  of  the  sick  in  the  hospital 
founded  by  the  Order  of  St.  John  for  the  unfortunate 
Maronites  in  that  season  of  destitution  and  oppression. 
This  fourth  now  rests  in  his  grave  at  the  foot  of  Mount 
Lebanon  ;  the  tlu-ee  others,  together  with  the  whole 
hospital  staff,  have  been  transferred  to  Beyrout,  where 
they  are  now  labouring  with  excellent  results.  Anotlier 
of  the  brothers  has  been  sent  to  Zelinople,  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  about  a  year  ago  a  new  society — a  branch 
from  the  original  '  Eauhe  Hans ' — was  founded.  It  is 
called  the  St.  Luke  Institution,  and  is  destined  to  carrj- 
out  the  same  schemes  amongst  the  Germans  in  North 
America.  Quite  recentlj-  another  almoner  from  the  St. 
John's  Institution  has  been  sent  to  the  hill  district  of  Sile- 
sia, where  thousands  of  weavers'  families  are  plunged  into 
the  deepest  distress  by  the  cotton  famine,  and  without 
Christian  assistance  and  sympathy  are  but  too  likely  to 
sink  to  a  lower  level  morally  and  socially. 

This  mere  sketch,  slight  as  it  is,  may  serve  to  show 
the  tendency  and  the  importance  of  the  institution  we 
liave  been  describing,  and  the  benefits  which  maj-  be 
expected  to  arise  from  its  agency,  not  only  to  Berlin 
but  to  a  far  wider  circle. 

In  conchusion,  we  would  ob.serve  that  this  in.stitution 
depends  solely  and  entirely  ujion  voluntary  contribu- 
tions, and  is  perfectly  independent  of  the  State  and  all 
public  authorities.  It  is  no  Government  institution  ;  it 
is  a  free-will  effort  of  Christian  charity  ;  it  holds  fast 
to  '  liberty,'  and,  consequently,  hopes  for  the  sympathy 
of  all  who  are  bound  to  it  by  the  ties  of  a  common 
faitli  and  a  common  love. 

Up  to  the  present  time  the  institution  has  been  lo- 
cated in  a  hired  house  in  the  suburb  of  Moabit ;  but  it 
hopes  ere  long  to  be  able  to  purchase  land  on  which  to 
build  and  carry  out  its  various  undertakings  indepen- 
dently. 

This  would  enable  the  brothers  to  found  an  extensive 

c  3 


20  A^'Oinv  OF  THE  CIIKISTIAN  CIIURCII. 


educational  e.stablisbinent  for  orphan  children,  after  the 
model  of  the  '  Eauhe  Haus'  (great  is  the  need  of  such  a 
one  in  Berlin !),  and  also  to  have  a  hospital  of  their  own, 
in  which  the  sick  poor  may  find  loving  care  and  shelter. 
May  England — to  whoso  large  heart  no  Cliristian 
efforts,  wherever  made,  can  be  indifferent — have  her 
sympathies  actively  called  out  in  favour  of  this  under- 
taking of  Dr.  Wichcrn's,  and  of  the  labours  of  love  of  tlie 
Brothers  of  the  St.  John's  Institution. 


|5onu  pisslous  on  iht 

The  Rhenish  Wostplialian  Young  Men's  Vnion, 
which  has  its  head-quarters  in  Elberfeld,  han,  during 
the  past  j'ear,  received  a  vigorous  de\  elopement.  The 
institution  of  a  separate  agent,  who  occupies  himself 
■with  visits  to  the  unions,  and  takes  part  in  tlie  annual 
solemnities,  has  manifested  a  blessed  fruitfidness. 
Among  the  younger  preachers  there  are  not  a  few  who 
dedicate  themselves  with  entire  affection  to  tliese  ope- 
rations ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  teachers,  tradesmen, 
and  artisans  find  it  a  satisfaction  to  sacrifice  a  portion 
of  their  time  to  the  young  people. 

Tlie  confederation  at  present  consists  of  120  unions, 
wliich  are  divided  into  12  circles.  Over  every  circle 
there  is  a  president  of  tlie  circle,  ^^ho  has  to  keep  up 
the  connection  of  the  unions  among  themselves,  and  to 
prepare  the  way  for  the  foundation  of  new  unions.  The 
most  important  imions  belong  to  the"\Vupperthal.  The 
Elberfeld  Union,  which  is  managed  by  a  tradesman, 
numbers  more  than  six  hundred  members,  and  has 
now  set  up  a  city  missionary  of  its  own,  who  is  active 
among  the  yoiuig  people.  Meantime  there  are  flourish- 
ing Young  ilen's  Unions,  not  only  in  the  manufacturing 
places,  but  also  amidst  the  rural  population,  especiidly 
in  the  Raven.sperg  territory  in  Westphalia,  and  in  that 
of  Oberberg,  in  the  prt)vince  of  the  Ilhine.  In  regard 
to  the  question  whit  relations  there  are  between  the 
Young  Men's  Unions  and  the  cidtivation  of  r<-ligious 
I  life,  there  is  much  diversity  of  opinion.  While 
certain  unions  report  :  '  AVe  have  certaiidy  during  the 
past  year  lost  a  considin-able  number  of  our  members, 
but  our  collective  life  is  now  a  much  goodlier  one,  for 
wo  have  now  not  a  single  unbelie^■ing  young  man 
amongst  us  to  disturb  our  social  sympathies  :'  while  in 
sumlry  public  journals  —especially  in  Schenkcl's  perio- 
dical— it  is  complained  that  the  Young  Men's  Unions 
are  falling  a  prey  to  a  separatistic  pietism ;  there  is 
yet  no  lack  of  symptoms  tliat  the  leaders  of  the  unions 
are  employed  in  giuirding  the  young  naen  from  unsound 
tendencies,  and  in  keeping  them  in  a  just  mean.  In 
this  manner  a  resolution  was  lately  published  in  (he 
Ehenish  Westphalian  Junglingshoir,  that  such  men 
only  should  be  elected  to  preside  over  the  unions  as 
would  subject  themselves  to  the  ordinances  of  the 
Evangelical  Church,  and  partake  the  'means  of  grace' 
it  affords.  On  the  other  hand,  the  educational  part  of 
the  question  has  by  no  means  been  underrated.  The 
Elberfeld  Union,  for  instance,  has,  during  the  winter 
months,  erected  a  finishing  school,  wliieli  is  numerously 
attended ;  and  the  Wiijiperfeld  Union  gets  up  from 
time  to  time  a  trade  exhibition,  which  contributes  in 
no  small  amount  to  excite  zeal  and  affection  for  their 
occupations  among  the  yotmg  artisans.  And  ever  and 
anon  voices  are  heard  reminding  us,  that  it  is  the  task 
cf  the  Young  Men's  Unions  to  work  like  a  leaven 


M.\RCJi  2,  1863. 


among  the  young  people,  and  not  to  keep  at  fruch  a 
distance  from  the  careless  that  all  influence  on  them 
may  be  impossible. 


The  Evangelical  Lutheran  Mission  has  published 
its  forty-third  annual  account,  wliich  exhibits  in  the 
first  place  an  increase  in  its  working  force.  'Fifteen 
European  laliourers,  two  native  rural  preachers,  and 
162  miscellaneous  missionary  assistants  from  among 
the  Tamnls,  are  at  present  pursuing  their  operations. 
Furthermore  we  have  to  thank  the  Lord  for  a  con- 
siderable increase  in  our  year's  revenues.  We  have 
received  20,000  dollars  more  than  last  year",  making 
60,000  dollars.  The  principal  contributions  have  come 
from  Bavaria,  811,000;  Eussia,  S9,500 ;  Saxony, 
^8,500;  Prussia,  S6,000  ;  Sweden,  J56,000  ;  Hanover, 
^4,500;  and  Mecklenberg  Schwerin  almost  ,^3,000. 
So  also  the  sacred  stores  for  more  than  five  stations 
where  they  are  most  immediately  wanted,  have  been 
su]iplied  by  charity.  221  h.eathens  last  year  received 
baptism,  so  that  the  entire  number  of  the  Christians  in 
the  Tamul  country  belonging  to  the  Leipzig  mission 
has  now  reached  5,196.  In  the  Missionary  establish- 
ment at  Leipzig  there  are  seven  pupils,  and  admission 
has  been  graiiti  d  to  five  young  Esthonians.' 

Leipzig,  Fih.  1863. 


A  man  named  M.  F.  Ilensler,  v.ho  lias  recently  died 
at  Basle,  left  in  his  will  a  sum  of  740,000  francs  to 
thirty-five  Christian  and  benevolent  institutions  in  the 
town  of  Basle  itself,  as  well  as  in  France  and  Swit- 
zerland generally ;  2,600  being  willed  to  the  Basle 
Missionarj-  Society.  All  honour  to  liis  memoi-y!  May 
God  raise  up  many  to  follow  such  an  example. 

The  Basle  Missionary  Society  began  the  year  18G2 
witli  a  debt  of  50,000  thalers,  added  to  which  the  ma- 
nagers had  m;'.de  an  advance  of  28,000  thalers  to  the 
general  fund,  in  order  to  meet'Current  expenses.  Larger 
donations  than  common  were  therefore  needed  and  re- 
quested to  cancel  so  large  a  debt ;  but,  unfortunately, 
these  only  amounted  during  the  past  year  to  1,800  thalers. 

Basle,  Fih.  1863. 


HOLLAND. 

At  the  end  of  last  month  an  occurrence  took  place, 
wliich  excited  much  interest  among  tlie  Protestants  in 
our  country,  and  may  be  regarded  as  an  event  of  consi- 
derable importance  to  the  Eoformed  Church  and  to  theolo- 
gical science  in  Holland.    One  of  the  theological  chairs 
at  the  University  of  Utrecht  becoming  vacant,  the 
nomination  was  waited  for  by  the  public  with  intense 
concern.    Till  this  day  the  custom  prevails,  that  even 
the  profes.-ors  of  theology,  to  whom  the'  academical 
education  of  future  clergymen  is  trusted,  are  named  by  | 
the  king  and  his  ministers.    Political  and  personal  | 
views  often  have  too  much  influence  in  a  clioiee  of  so 
great  importance  to  the  highest  interests  of  the  Church. 
For  a  long  time,  theology  of  a  more  decidedly  orthodox 
character  was  .systematically  kept  down,  ard  to  the 
great  grievance  of  many,  it  is  not  3-et  officially  repre-  ' 
sented  in  the  scientific  section  of  our  academies.    At  j 
last  the  impending  danger  of  growing  neology,  and  tlie  j 
urgent  exigencies  of  the  Reformed  Chiu-eh,  seem  to  1 
have  opened  the  eyes  to  the  necessity  of  a  more  liberal  j 
policy,  at  least  with  respect  to  the  University  of  , 


MAEC5  2,  1808. 


WORK  OF  THE  CIIRISTIAX  CHURCH. 


21 


Utrecht.  Three  years  ago,  Dr.  Doedep,  a  Biblical 
sch'dar  of  great  acuteuessof  mind,  was  called  to  occupy 
the  vacant  chair  of  Scriptural  Iiit'Tiwetation.  Another 
professor  was  now  wanted  for  dogmatic  tlieology,  and 
the  kings  choice  designed  tlie  very  man  whom  the 
public  regarded  as  most  proper  to  accomplish  this 
difficult  task.  Dr.  Van  Oo.sterzie,  clergyman  in  Rot- 
terdam, a  man  of  groat  renown  anil  vast  erudition,  one 
of  our  most  eloquent  and  poj)nlar  preachers,  and  an 
arduous  cliampion  for  the  orthodox  faith..  He  gained  a 
merited  applause  in  our  country  by  a  great  many 
works,  amongst  which  his  Lift-  of  Jcsits  and  his  Christ- 
ology  (si.\  large  volumes  together)  are  the  most  im- 
portant, and  is  not  quit<!  unknown  perlwps  amongst 
you  by  his  participation  in  the  JSibelwcrk  of  Prof. 
iMnge  in  Bonn.  This  man  of  eminent  gifts,  now  lately 
entered  upon  his  new  task  b}-  driivering,  according  to 
the  custom,  an  inaugural  oration,  which  is  considered  as 
a  personal  programme  for  the  lectures  to  the  students. 
The  subject  of  this  maiden  /speech  was  quite  adapted  to 
tile  exigencies  of  the  present  time ;  De  Scepiicimno, 
hodicmix  thtvlogis  cautc  vitandu  (  On  Scepiicism,  which 
is  anxiously  to  be  avoided  hj  th:  ih  olngians  of  our 
days).  This  eloquent  address,  which  lasted  full  two 
hours,  was  attended  to  with  unremitting  interest,  and 
received  with  great  apjdause.  As  I  supjwse  that  many 
of  j-our  readers  are  acquainted  with  the  language, 
and  may  be  desirous  to  know  something  about  this 
very  interesting  address,  I  quote  some  short  and  stray 
passages,  bj'  which  you  will  best  gain  an  idea  of  the 
actual  state  of  things  in  Holland.  Dr.  Oosterzee  spoke 
consecutively  De  scepticismi  in  rebus  theologicis  cha- 
racdre,  origine,  Jure,  fricctd  et  mtdela.' 

About  the  character  of  theological  scepticism  in  our 
days  and  country,  he  said,  '  IJou  adeo  hoc  illudve 
d  'cUinae  ChristianiB  capnt  in  dubium  vocatur,  quani 
quidem  id,  quod  hucusqu(!  ab  univers4  Ecclesia  inter 
axioniata  fere  recensebatur ;  non  aniplius  de  fidei 
formulis  atque  Confessiouibus  unius  alteriusve  societatis 
Clu-istianjE  qusestlo  est,  sed  de  argumento  Evangelii 
ipso  ;  non  tautum  centenis  effiUis  Jesu  Apostolorunique 
interrogandi  signum  apponitur,  verum  de  ipso  Christo, 
objecto  fidei,  qua;ritur:  ti'  «(rTij' aA.i7fl«a?'  whicli,  it  must 
be  confessed  with  sorrow,  is  by  no  means  exaggerated. 

In  noting  the  origin  of  this  modern  scepticism,  he 
remarks  the  theo/ogicfd,2>oliticHl,  Andphilosophicul  causes, 
from  which  it  may  be  said  to  liave  sprung.  There  was 
a  scliolastic  dogmatism,  which  by  its  wrong  and  ques- 
tionable way  of  demonstrating  the  truth  led  itself  to 
doubts  and  scepticism.  In  politics,  a  revolutionary 
spirit,  proclaiming  tlie  autonomy  of  human  natures, 
undermined  the  faith  in  divine  revelation.  And  jihi- 
loHophy  of  un  irreligious  character  led  to  material- 
ist views,  idealistic  speculations,  or  panthi  istic  visions, 
whilst  mere  empiric  materialism  evoked  a  spirit 
quite  uncongenial  to  scriptural  truth.  'Ex  his  parenti- 
bus  tandi  m  mutata  mundi  contemplatio  sive  recentior 
Cosiiwlogia  nata  est.  Biblieie  expositioni  de  Deo  supra- 
nuindano  implaeabih:  bellum  declaran.s,  ipsuniq\i.' 
Deum  vetans,  ne  quid  miraculum  ederet.' 

An  to  the  rights  of  theological  .scepticism,  lie  declares, 
that  doulding  maybe  very  useful,  but  that  the  principle 
of  tliis  modi'rn  neology,  as  if  all  supernatural  were  in 
itself  iwi;)OMiWc,  lias  no  right  to  bo  admitted,  and  that 
on  this  erroneous  and  arbitrary  principle,  the  whole 
system  is  built,  '  evanescente  autem  supranaturali  reli- 
gionis  nostras  fundamento,  ipsa  religio  mox  evanescit." 


On  fruits  of  this  spirit.  Dr.  Oosterzee  maintains, 
that  though  much  good  may  come  even  from  this  evil, 
and  tmbelief  is  in  so  far  a  blessing  as  it  brings  to 
further  and  nearer  exiimination  of  tlie  tnitli,  still  scep- 
ticism in  itself  can  bear  no  good  and  sound  fruits,  and 
proves  pernicious  to  theo!ogi<'al  seiene<'  and  to  the 
Church  of  Christ.  As  to  theology,  it  can  only  produce 
damage  to  all  branches  of  that  science — to  tk  riptitral 
hitcrprcialion,  Dogmatics,  Ecchsiastical  Hiitory,  and 
Practiced  Theology.  He  proceeds  to  show  what  the 
Church  has  to  suffer  from  this  great  evil,  and  rememhers 
'  Ecclesiam  non  magis  Scepticismi  fundamento  super- 
strui  posse  quam  pj'ramiduni  \mk  acus  in  acie  fundari.' 

In  the  last  place,  the  orator  expressed  his  own  views 
about  the  rctmdy  for  the  said  evil.  This  remedy  is  not 
to  be  souglit  in  the  theology  of  former  times :  '  Nequa- 
quam  redeundum  erit  ad  systenia  sieculi  decimi  septimi, 
omnibus  inimeris  restam-atum,  sed  novum  in  eodem 
a!ternoque  fundamento  condendum,  quod  verbo  Divino, 
EcclesiiK  principiis,  mvi  sin  minus  desideriis,  .saltern 
commodis,  magis  niagisque  conveniat.  Ab  eorum  eo- 
cordi^i  quam  longissime  remotis,  qui,  prouti  dici  solet, 
nil  obliti  sunt  aiitiqiionim,  nil  recentionmi  edocti, 
nobis  illud  prseclari  poetai  transatlantici  :  F.xcclslor 
perpetuo  obscrvetiu-,  oportet,  excelsior  autem,  non  ad 
rigidas,  niveasque  regioncs,  ubi  tandem  miseri  pereamus 
necesse  est,  *ed  ad  templum  veritatis  Christiaufe,  in 
monte  illo  exstnictum,  ulii  novum  mund-um  adspicere 
poterimus.'  The  sure  and  sound  theology  by  which 
scepticism  is  to  be  opposed,  he  thus  characterises : 
'  Theologia  sit  Evangel ico-Bihlica,  Historico-philoio- 
phica,  Irenico-practicu,'  thus  denoting  what  he  under- 
stands by  these  names.  Let  me  call  your  attention 
especially  to  the  eloquent  description  of  tlie  true  Chris- 
tian theologian  :  '  O  utinam  vobis  mihique  adumbrare 
posseni  imaginem  talis  theologi,  qualem  nequeo  adhuc, 
eheu,  vobis  monstrare,  at  intus  sentio  tanien.  Incepit 
ille,  anteaquam  Doctoris  munus  obiret,  discipuli  locum 

tenendo,  ad  Christi  pedes  sedentis  >Si  e  variis 

Doctorum  mcdii  tevi  titulis  ei  optio  concederetur,  non 
Doctor  tSubliiitis,  aut  Angelicus,  aut  Seraphicus,  voeari 
cuperet  sed  Biblicus,  sana  vi  voeis.  Archiva  regni 
coclorum  in  sacro  codice  consignata  noctiu-nii  versat 
manu,  versatque  diurnA.  Ubi  autem  penitius  pene- 
trare  non  potest  rb  Auros  ((pa  optimi  Magistri  veneratur, 
imo  T(jj  yifpa-ittai  divino  obstrictum  se  non  sentire  non 

potest  Pectus  potissimuin  est,  quod  Theologum 

ilium  effecit,  pectus,  cui  Lutheri  prjceejitum  infixum 
est,  "  non  esse  theologum,  qui  magna  sciat  et  multa 
doceat,  sed  qiii  sanete  et  theologice  vivat."  Eidei  fir- 
miter  tenax,  v<Tam  illam  lilnTalitatem  sectatur,  quie 
nullibi  nisi  in  Christi  schol4  diseetur.  .  .  .  Criticus  est, 
non  vero  .Sceptieus,  credit,  nec  tanien  credulus  erit.  Per 
fidem  ad  scientiam,  per  scii  ntiam  ad  fideni,  identidem 
profmidiorem  procedit.  .  .  .  Ipsius  divini  \iyou  imagi- 
nem aliqmitenus  refert,  atque  Christi  Ajiostolonimque 
vestigia  pn  mens,  revera  alios  docet,  qua;  ipse  intiniA 
cum  Patre  eommunione  aeeepit.' 

Put  I  must  conclude.  It  is  nothing  but  a  verj-  in- 
sufficient sketch,  a  mi  re  skeleton,  I  give  jou  of  tliis 
addi'ess.  I  should  much  like  to  see  it  tninslate<l  into 
your  language.  Thi  le  may  be  some  diffi  rence  between 
your  position  and  ours  :  still  there  is  very  mucli  affinity 
too,  and  I  think  there  is  much  going  on  in  Holland  in 
tliese  days  wliidi  ought  to  excite  the  lively  interest  of 
j'our  theological  and  religious  public. 
Rotterdam.  Feb.  1863. 


22 


WOKK  OF  THE  CHRISTL\N  CHURCH. 


March  2,  1863. 


pastor  ^tlbring's  W.oxk. 

If  ever  you  travel  tliroiiglt  Holland,  on  your  way  to 
the  Ehine  or  Switzerland,  please  do  not  book  through 
from  Rotterdam  to  Cologne  or  Coblenz  at  once,  but 
break  that  long  journey  hy  taking  your  ticket  for 
Ede  (the  second  station  from  Arnheim),  and  proceed 
thence  by  stage-coach  to  Wageningen,  where  you  wiU 
arrive  after  half  an  hour's  drive.  AValk  then  a  mile  or 
two  eastward  to  the  pretty  village  of  Hemmen,  and  paj' 
a  visit  to  the  clergyman  of  the  place,  the  Eev.  O.  G. 
Heldi-ing.  Only  tell  him  that  you  are  a  disciple  of  that 
great  Master  who  came  to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost, 
and  you  will  be  sure  of  a  cordial  reception. 

Mr.  Heldring,  who  is  a  clergyman  of  the  Dutch 
Reformed  Church,  is  a  tall  strongly-built  man,  whose 
healtliy  look,  open  face,  and  cheerful  countenance,  would 
make  you  take  him  for  a  man  of  forty-five,  though  in 
reality  fifty -nine  summers  and  winters  have  passed  over 
liishead.  His  is  the  battle  against  that  fearful  enemy, 
immorality,  which  strikes  both  body  and  soul  with  a 
destruction  already  visible  on  this  side  of  the  grave. 
When  a  young  man,  and  about  to  take  orders,  he  was, 
under  God's  pro's-idential  leading,  brought  among  the 
operative  class.  He  shared  their  labour  for  a  short 
time,  that  he  might  recover  his  health,  shortened,  as  it 
had  been,  by  over-exertion  at  the  university.  He  thus 
got  acquainted  with  the  wants,  the  sufferings,  and  the 
evils  of  the  lower  ranks  of  society.  He  became  a 
friend  of  the  poor,  and  tlie  desire  to  raise  them  up  to  a 
state  of  happiness  and  independence  struck  deep  roots 
into  his  heart.  This  desire  grew  up  with  power  when, 
as  a  young  minister,  he  found  himself  in  a  country 
distrii-t  peopled  over  many  miles  with  poor  peasants  and 
small  struggling  farmers.  How  to  help  them  out  of 
their  ignorance  and  destitution  he  did  not  know.  He 
felt  that  mere  material  support,  even  if  it  were  in  his 
power  to  afford  it,  would  only  be  like  putting  a  new 
thatch  on  their  miserable  hiits  without  rene-sving  their 
rotten  foundations.  He  perceived  that,  together  with 
some  substantial  hel)i,  the  power  of  helping  themselves 
should  be  given  to  them ;  but  how  to  give  them  that 
power  was  not  quite  clear. 

At  eighteen  miles  from  his  manse  he  discovered  a 
cluster  of  miserable  huts,  or  rather  holes  dug  into  the 
soil,  and  covered  only  by  a  sloping  thatch,  -sWth  an  open- 
ing in  front  which  served  both  as  door  and  chimney. 
There  some  eighty  families  were  living  quite  unknomi 
to  society.  They  had  no  church,  no  school,  no  well. 
In  the  dry  season  they  were  oft^n  ready  to  j^eri-sh  from 
thirst,  rain-water  lieing  their  only  drink.  Of  regular 
labour  they  knew  nothing,  much  less  of  such  work  as 
digging  a  well  or  making  a  pump.  Mr.  Heldring 
thought  he  must  begin  with  providing  them  with  the 
natural  water  in  order  to  win  their  hearts  to  the  liring 
water  that  springs  up  into  everlasting  life.  He  men- 
tioned the  matter  to  .some  influential  iudi^-iduals  at  the 
neighbouring  towns,  put  an  advertisement  into  the 
papers,  and  soon  an  excellent  fountain  bubbled  up  in 
the  midst  of  the  dry  barren  heath.  Then  a  school- 
house  rose,  then  a  church  ;  gradually  the  people  filled 
up  their  ugly,  damp,  dark  holes  and  built  themselves 
habitable  cottages.  The  wild,  savage  game-hunting 
was  left  off;  little  farms  sprang  up  ;  little  gardens 
began  to  blossom— the  children  went  to  school  and  the 
people  to  church — and  eternity  only  will  reveal  how 


many  fruits  the  heavenly  Husbandman  has  reaped  from 
the  fields  of  the  once  utterly  neglected  but  now  inviting 
hamlet  of  Hoi  nderloo. 

I  £ould  fill  many  an  interesting  page,  were  I  to  give 
a  detailed  history  of  this  blessed  work  of  Mr.  Hekbing. 
Nor  woidd  it  be  xmsatisfactoiy  to  read  an  account  of 
iVIr.  Heldring's  operations  on  behalf  of  another  district 
called  the  Anna  Polowna  Polder.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that 
he  soon  became  known  as  a  man  to  whose  care  the  poor 
and  neglected  and  lost  could  safely  be  trusted.  Hoen- 
dirloo  and  the  Anna  Pohwna  Polder,  and  several 
other  works  in  the  line  of  Christian  j)hilantlu'opy,  were 
only  preparatoi-y  to  the  great  laboiu'  which  Pi-ovidencc 
had  in  store  for  him. 

As  earl}-  as  the  year  1846  the  condition  of  unfortunate 
women  became  a  matter  of  serious  concern  for  a  few 
]Jiilanthropists  at  Amsterdam.  Among  them  were  two 
medical  professors,  superintendents  of  public  hospitals. 
These  declared  that  among  their  patients  there  were 
not  a  few  fallen  women,  who  with  evident  tokens  of  re- 
pentance expressed  their  earnest  desire  to  retm-n  to  the 
good  way.  The  obligation  of  tendering  a  kind  helping 
hand  to  them  was  deeply  felt.  A  society  was  formed 
'  for  the  aid  of  penitent  fallen  women.'  The  most 
simple  means  of  carrjang  out  the  object  of  the  society 
were  observed.  It  was  not  deemed  jxidicious  to  give 
public  notoriety  to  its  operations.  If  a  girl  applied  for 
help,  a  reconciliation  between  her  and  her  family  was 
tried.  If  she  had  no  family,  she  was  boarded  with  an 
elderly  childless  widow,  or  a  situation  was  procured  for 
her  as  a  servant  in  some  philantliropic  household.  Above 
all,  an  opportunity  was  afforded  of  obtaining  Bible  in- 
struction and  of  learning  some  useful  trade. 

The  Society  had  scarcely  commenced  its  ojjerations 
when,  by  a  remarkable  leading  of  Providence,  two  mem- 
bers of  the  committee  fell  in  with  Mr.  Heldring,  whom 
they  knew  by  name  from  his  philanthropic  laboiirs. 
They  communicated  to  him  the  object  of  their  Society, 
and  found  that  to  him  al.so  the  condition  of  unfortunate 
women  had  been  long  a  matter  of  earnest  concern.  His 
opinion  was  that  an  asylum  at  some  remote  spot  in  the 
country  was  indi.spensable.  The  boarding  of  girls  .so 
recently  coming  out  of  a  life  of  sin  and  disorder  might 
prove  in  many  instances  deleterious  to  the  persons  or 
fiimilies  that  took  them  in.  Nor  could  private  families, 
dwelling  in  a  large  populous  city  like  Amsterdam, 
guard  them  sufficiently  against  frequent  temptations. 
Besides,  strict  seclusion  for  some  time  was,  to  his 
opinion,  absolutely  required  to  enable  them  to  test  the 
sincerity  of  their  repentance,  and  to  accustom  them  to 
a  life  diametrically  opjiosed  to  their  former  practices. 
They  ought  to  be  brought  under  the  constant  influence 
of  the  Gospel,  whose  tender  whispers,  inviting  them  to 
come  to  a  merciful  iind  loving  Saviour,  could  be  far 
better  heard  in  the  quiet  abode  of  a  Christian  asylum 
than  in  the  midst  of  a  noisy,  bustling  city.  Mr.  Held- 
ring, however,  was  of  opinion  that  both  ways  ought  to 
be  tried,  and  should  individuals  be  found  ready  to  test 
his  plan,  he  expressed  himself  'willing  to  join  them 
with  all  his  heart. 

The  two  members  of  the  committee  gladly  gave  their 
consent  to  the  suggestion  of  the  clergyman.  Anotlier 
Christian  friend  joined  them  with  cordial  sjTupathy, 
and  the  four  gentlemen  resolved  to  leave  no  stone  un- 
turned till  an  asylum  rose  for  the  unhappy  females  of 
Holland.  To  commence  at  once,  two  or  tliree  girls, 
who  had  returned  from  a  colony  for  con-\-icts,  and  were 


March  2,  1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


23 


received  by  the  AmBterdam  Society,  were  entrusted  to 
Mr.  Heklring's  care.  He  boarded  them  with  respectable 
farming  people,  members  of  his  church,  got  them  labour 
in  the  fields  during  the  day,  provided  them  with 
instruction  in  knitting  and  sewing,  and  spoke  to  tliem 
from  time  to  time  about  the  only  way  that  was  open  for 
them  to  be  saved.  Meanwhile:  a  suitable  building  wa.s 
eagerly  sought  for.  It  so  happened  that,  through  an 
unexpected  concurrence  of  circumstances,  a  little  farm- 
house, at  scarcely  a  mih^'s  distance  from  the  manse,  had 
become  the  pi-operty  of  the  minister.  It  was  situated 
in  a  quiet  spot  of  the  country,  surrounded  by  a  kitchen 
garden,  an  orchard,  and  a  few  acres  of  arable  land.  A 
little  grove  liid  it  from  the  gaze  of  the  indiscreet.  A 
little  brook  separated  it  from  the  adjacent  fields.  No 
better  place  could  be  imagined  for  the  purpose.  It  evi- 
dently was  a  gift  of  Providence — an  answer  to  prayer. 
One  of  the  members  of  the  Amsterdam  committee 
offered  Mr.  Ileldring  a  handsome  gift  for  the  fitting 
up  the  place  as  an  asylum.  A  Christian  lady,  of  an 
aristocratic  family.  Miss  P.  Voute,  who  had  for  some 
years  devoted  herself  to  the  work  of  Christian  phihm- 
thropy,  accepted  Mr.  Heldring's  invitation  to  take  the 
management  of  the  establishment.  Mr.  Ileldring  tra- 
velled through  the  country  for  a  month  to  collect  sub- 
scriptions. Gifts  poured  in  from  aU  quarters  and  sects. 
The  Lord's  hand  evidently  was  with  the  work.  In 
January  1848  the  Asylum  Siernbec/c  was  solemnly 
opened,  with  supplications  to  God  for  the  good  of  tlie 
poor  Magdaleus  of  Holland. 

The  Asylum  gradually  grew  in  the  confidence  of  the 
public.  The  philanthropists  were  glad  to  know  a 
place  where  they  coidd  send  the  objects  of  their  com- 
passionate care.  Mr.  Ileldring  travelled  tlirough  the 
country  to  found  auxiliary  committees  at  the  chief 
towns.  To  secure  th(!  permanent  operation  of  the  es- 
tablishment, he  united  with  his  friends  to  form  a  cor- 
poration, which  -mis  recognised  by  the  state.  To  this 
corporation  he  sold  th(;  property.  A  capital  was  raised 
on  a  loan,  without  interest,  of  150  shares,  each  of  100 
guilders  (8/.  6.5.  8d.).  They  were  soon  taken.  To 
cnalile  the  corporation  to  repay  the  loan,  the  boarding 
and  lodging  of  a  girl,  to  be  paid  by  the  auxiliary 
committees  or  by  private  subscriptions,  was  fixed  at 
two  guilders  a  Meek,  or  8/.  12*.  id.  a  year,  besides 
4/.  3.S.  4rf.  as  entry.  Of  such  capital,  one-fifth  was  used 
for  the  enlarging  and  fitting  up  of  apartment.s,  for 
already  twenty-four  girls  were  under  Miss  Voute's  care 
at  the  close  of  1819. 

Thus  a  good  work  was  established  on  the  basis  of 
God's  word.  What  was  now  needed,  above  all,  was  to 
carry  it  on  in  the  spirit  of  /ihtrti/.  Without  this,  no 
tnily  moral  influence  upon  the  hearts  of  the  girls  was 
deemed  fiossible.  The  Asylum  should  not  l;e  a  convent. 
When  entering,  you  want  the  assistance  of  somebody 
inside  to  open  the  door  ;  but  when  going  out,  nobody's 
help  is  required.  The  girls  are  free  to  leave  the  house 
any  day.  This  is  one  of  the  fundamental  principles  of 
the  establishment.  During  the  night,  however,  each  of 
them  is  locked  up  in  her  own  bedroom.  There  is  no 
common  dormitory  ;  but  long  passages  on  the  second 
story  are  on  botli  sidc\s  lined  with  nice  tidy  little  bed- 
rooms, just  large  enough  to  contain  a  bed,  a  washstand, 
a  press,  a  chair,  and  sutticient  space  to  walk  a  step  or 
two. 

Mr.  Heldring  beingaverse  to  anything  like  mechanical 
or  compulsory  influence,  has  made  as  few  laws  aud 


rules  as  possible.  Indeed,  the  rules  and  regulations 
which  there  are,  are  the  result  of  experience,  and  were 
not  drawn  up  until  proved  necessary.  The  establish- 
ment steadfastly  strives  to  realise  the  idea  of  a  family. 
At  the  commencement  of  the  day  a  portion  of  the  holy 
Word  is  read,  then  a  list  of  precejjts,  called  '  General 
Principles  of  Christian  Life,  for  the  Asylum  Steenbeek.' 
The  first  runs  as  follows :  — 

'  1.  Let  nobody  look  back  who  puts  his  hand  to  the 
plough.  So  from  the  first  step  into  this  house  all  the 
past  is  forgotten,  dead  and  buried,  that  a  new  life  may 
be  devoted  to  God  and  the  Sa-s-iour  in  the  Holy  Spu-it.' 

'  8.  Keep  in  mind  that  labour  is  the  first  evidence  of 
obedience  to  the  commandment  of  God :  "  In  the  sweat 
of  thy  brow  thou  shalt  eat  thy  bread."  Show  that  it  is 
your  most  sincere  desire,  since  your  entrance  into  this 
house,  to  earn  honestly  deserved  bread.' 

'  14.  Our  most  holy  battle  is  against  unbelief.  Never 
cease  to  rebuke  it.  Let  your  constant  pi'ayer  be,  that 
your  faith  may  increase.  The  whole  Asylum  only  exists 
through  faith,  and  ought,  in  the  midst  of  the  world,  to 
be  a  testimony  of  faith,  charity,  and  hope.' 

Such  and  similar  principles  are  daily  brought  home 
to  their  hearts  in  the  way  of  general  address.  Special 
addresses  take  place  occasionally  when  elicited  by  some 
particular  cause.  Any  appearance  of  an  effort  to  force 
a  change  of  the  heart  is  carefully  avoided.  But  the  girls 
are  steadily  kept  to  their  work,  that  they  may  learn  to 
appreciate  the  virtues  of  diligence,  order,  cleanliness, 
and  discipline,  as  the  effects  of  Cliristian  principles. 
Their  labour  is  divided  between  the  sewing-room,  the 
laundi-y,  the  kitchen,  the  house,  and  the  garden. 

Punishment  needs  seldom  to  be  applied.  Shoxdd 
anyone  be  refractor}^,  she  is  ordered  to  make  a 
certiiin  number  of  mats.  The  obstinate  one,  who  wants 
to  leave  the  house,  is  put  into  a  small  room  to  spend 
a  day  in  solitude  before  carrj-ing  her  sad  resolution 
into  practice.  Some  of  the  best  girls  are  sent  in  from 
time  to  time  to  speak  to  her ;  then  the  teachers,  one 
after  another,  ^isit  her.  In  most  cases  this  proves 
sufficient  to  make  her  repent  aud  return  to  her  dutj*. 
If  she  continues  obstinate  Mr.  Heldring  speaks  to 
her.    Take  an  instance  of  one  case  :  — 

A  proud,  stubborn  girl,  who,  perhaps  for  the  tenth 
time,  resolved  to  leave  the  house,  but  never  had  carried 
her  resolution  into  practice,  declared  to  him  that  she 
had  made  up  her  mind  to  go. 

'  Do  you  remember,'  said  he,  '  how  often  you  have 
told  me  the  same  story,  standing  where  you  are  now  'i ' 

'  I  do  n't.' 

'  Still,  it  might  be  as  well  for  you  to  remember  it, 
for  I  do  n't  know  anybotly  upon  whom  such  an  amount 
of  patience  and  mercy  was  ever  bestowed  as  upon 
you.' 

The  girl  is  silent,  and  .'^o  is  the  minister. 

'  But  just  as  you  like,'  he  continues,  after  a  pause. 
'  You  have  said  you  are  determined  to  go  ;  do  what 
your  heart  impels  you  to ;  as  for  me,  no  sooner  will 
you  have  left  the  spot  where  you  are  now  standing 
tlian  I  shall  shake  the  dust  from  niy  feet  against  j'ou, 
for  I  don't  want  to  have  as  much  communion  with 
you  on  the  great  day  of  judgement  as  with  the  dust  that 
now  sticks  to  my  feet." 

She  went  away — but  to  the  room  where  the  other  girls 
were  at  their  work.  She  resumed  her  place  among 
them.  'How  is  that?'  a.sked  the  lady  who  was  in 
superinteudeuce ;  'are  you  back  agaiu  ?  '  '  The  miiiifit«r,' 


24 


AVORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


Makck  '2,  1863. 


answered  she,  '  told  me  to  act  as  my  luart  ^vishcd. 
My  lieart  tolls  me  now  to  staj-.' 

Some  liom-.s  later  the  lady  saw  Mr.  Ileldring.  '  Viluit 
are  we  to  do  with  her  nov.-  ? '  asked  she.  '  She  has 
understood  me,'  was  Ids  short  reply. 

It  is  now  fifteen  years  since  the  Asylum  was  founded, 
and  those  fifteen  ye.irs  tell  their  own  story.  I  have 
before  mo  the  14th  Keport  of  the  Asylum,  which  runs 
from  the  first  of  July  1860  to  the  last  of  June  1861. 
It  shows  that  from  the  commencement  of  the  institution 
down  to  that  period,  352  girls  have  been  taken  into  the 
house.  Of  these  the  following  statistics  arc  given  : 
Dead,  32 ;  mamod,  62 ;  in  service,  57 ;  retiirued  to 
their  families,  12  ;  in  prison,  2  ;  at  the  Beggars"  Colonj-, 
3  ;  known  as  fallen  again,  54  ;  lost  out  of  sight,  101  ; 
giving  hope  now  and  then,  22  ;  wandering  about  as 
beggars,  4  ;  entered  into  a  Eoman  Catholic  institution, 
1  ;  in  the  hospital,  2. 

And  how  many  truly  converted  ? 
The  statistics  of  that  are  not  k(-ptliere  below.  Let 
\is  hope  and  pray  that  they  may  form  a  long  list  above. 
And  let  us  at  the  same  time  be  thankful  to  find  that, 
as  far  as  wc  can  judge,  ono-third  of  the  received  girls 
have  been  rotnrned  to  a  life  of  order  and  usefulness. 

In  so  far  as  prosperity  may  be  considered  as  a  divine 
blessing,  the  A.sylum  maj-  be  pointed]  at  as  a  striking 
proof  of  God's  favour  upon  a  good  work.  Supported 
by  voluntary-  contributions  and  by  the  annual  sums 
that  were  paid  by  Christian  friends  for  the  boarding  of 
the  girls  whom  they  had  sent  in,  the  loan'^has"  not  only 
been  paid  off)  but  two  other  spacious  houses  have  been 
built  in  its  vicinity, — the  one,  a  preventive  reforma- 
toiy  called  Talitha  Ktimi,  where  at  present  120  to  130 
girls  under  sixteen,  rescued  from  neglect  and  bad 
training,  arc  receiving  Christian  education  ;  the  other, 
called  Bethel,  is  giving  shelter  and  refuge  to  about  70 
girls  above  sixteen,  mostly  released  convicts. 

I  visited  tho.se  three  establishments  a  month  ago,  and 
I  witnessed  about  250  j'oung  souks — from  the  full- 
grown  girl  at  Sieenheek  down  to  the  little  child  at 
Talithn  Kumi — li^-ing  in  peace  and  happiness,  and  I 
thought  of  them  as  three  flocks  of  sheep  and  lambs  res- 
cued from  the  wolf,  and  being  brought  back  to  the 
good  Sliepherd.  And  I  heard  them  sing  their  hymns, 
and  I  saw  them  going  about  their  work,  and  dining 
and  supping  together  like  happj-  members  of  a  blessed 
Christian  family,  and  I  rejoiced  by  the  side  of  my 
friend  Mr.  Heldring,  who  was  standing  as  a  father  in 
the  midst  of  them,  raised  up  by  the  Lord  to  show  forth 
the  power  of  His  word  and  Spirit  o\er  the  cunning 
devices  of  that  enemy  who  is  a  murderir  from  the 
beginning. 

If  ever  you  travel  through  flat  Holland  to  the  beau- 
tifxil  mountains  of  the  Continent,  pray  do  not  hurry, 
but  g(>t  out  at  Ede,  and  take  the  coaeli  to  Wageningen, 
and  walk  up  to  Hemmen,  and  j'ou  Viill  see  a  work  of 
God  which  surely  is  not  less  chamiing  or  glorious  than 
the  .'■■miling  hills  of  the  Ehine  or  the  gigantic  Alps  of 
Switzerland. 

Fehriiary  18G3. 


DEKMAEK. 

In  Denmark,  missions  are  a  subject  of  controversy 
between  two  important  sections  of  the  national  Church. 
One  party,  building  on  a  very  singular  theological  sys- 
tem, opposes  the  evangelisation  of  heathens,  pretending 


that  it  is  not  in  this  life  they  are  to  hear  the  word  of 
salvation,  but  that  after  their  death,  by  a  so-to-speak 
mysterious  virtue  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  their  under- 
standings ■«-ill  be  opened,  their  hearts  moved,  and  their 
souls  saved  for  ever.  But  by  the  side  of  tliis  party  is 
another,  and  indeed  a  more  numerous  one,  whoso  mem- 
bers, animated  b}'  the  evangelical  spirit,  have  fomided 
a  missionary  society,  and  are  seeking  to  per.suade  their 
brethren,  even  more  by  their  works  than  their  discourses, 
of  the  seasonablencss  and  paramount  importance  of 
such  associations.  This  Danish  Missionary  Society  had 
ccU'bratcd  a  second  anniversavj-  at  Starhus,  a  manufac- 
turing town  on  the  east  coast  of  Jutland,  containing 
about  12,000  inhabitants.  The  meeting  had  been  very 
numerously  attended,  and  believers  had  been  brought 
together  from  all  sides  by  the  voice  of  their  pastors 
towai-ds  it.  This  year  it  was  at  Kibe,  a  small  town  in 
the  Duchy  of  Slcswig,  that  this  Cliristian  festival  took 
place.  Kotwithstanding  the  unimpoi'tance  of  the  town, 
notwithstanding  its  distance  from  the  grand  centres  of 
the  national  life,  an  immense  number  of  Danish 
Christians  considered  it  a  happiness  to  attend  there. 
After  the  sermons,  which  were  listened  to  with  interest 
by  a  composed  audience,  Dr.  Kalkar,  who  is  president 
of  the  society,  and  one  of  the  most  respectable  pastors 
in  Denmark,  presented  a  report  on  the  state  of 
Cliristianity  in  Greenland.  Among  other  remarkable 
circumstances,  he  announced  that  the  translation  of  the 
Bible  into  the  Clrec  idandish  language  had  been  re-vised 
with  much  care,  and  that  a  new  edition  was  shortly  to 
appear.  Ho  then  proceeded  to  speak  of  the  work  which 
had  been  undertaken  in  that  country,  of  the  blessing 
\rith  which  it  had  been  crooned  by  tho  Spirit  of  God 
(notwithstanding  the  insufficiency  of  the  means  em- 
ployed), and  of  the  indisputable  progress  which  had 
been  effected,  and  which  had  been  proved  by  the 
entrance  of  some  Greenlanders  into  the  society  in  the 
capacity  of  missionaries  among  their  fellow-countrymen. 

On  the  follow  ing  day  the  cathedral,  which  is  con- 
sidered to  be  one  of  the  finest  in  tho  kingdom,  was  the 
place  of  a  meetnig  not  less  interesting,  though  relating 
to  a  subject  entirely  different :  it  turned  upon  the  state 
of  religion  in  Denmark.  Dr.  Noerdam  presented  a  me- 
moir, which  attested  a  notable  improvement  in  all 
quarters;  'no  doxilit,'  he  said,  'many  instances  of  infi- 
delity are  found  among  the  children  of  God ;  no  doubt 
religious  indifference  exists,  but  it  is  continually  dimi- 
nishing ;  and  wo  nuiy  saj-,  without  fear,  that  the  work  of 
Christ  is  in  progi-ess.  We  continue  on  all  sides  to  see 
consciences  awakened,  appeals  heard,  and  numerous 
conversions,  attesting  tlie  progress  of  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Let  us  hope  that  a  time  may  come,  whe)i  all  the 
members  of  the  church  shall  be  won  over  to  it  -n-ithout 
reserve.' 

Aflerthis  warm  discourse  an  opportunity  of  speaking 
was  given  to  M.  Vatel,  of  Jetsmark,  in  the  north  of 
Jutland,  who  directed  the  attention  of  the  public  to  the 
spiritual  needs  of  the  Danes  living  in  foreign  countries, 
and,  in  particidar,  of  the  seamen.  After  having  spoken 
of  the  Danes  resident  abroad  without  religious  resources, 
and  of  the  artisans  who,  being  without  work  in  their 
own  country,  go  elsewhere  to  seek  for  bread,  and  meet 
for  the  mo.st  part  with  the  gravest  temptation.s,  he 
alluded  to  the  thousands  of  seamen  who  every  year 
quit  the  ports  of  the  kingdom  to  such  an  extent,  that 
there  is  nowhere  a  harbour  of  any  importance  that  is 
not  visited  by  Danish  ships ;  he  showed  how  desirable 


March  2,  18G3. 


WORK  OF  THE  CIIIJISTIAX  CHURCH. 


25 


it  was  tliat  iu  every  port  there  should  he  a  pastor  from 
the  same  country,  wlio  might  declare  the  gospel  to  his 
fellow-countrj  nien  ;  at  HamLurg,  for  instance,  there 
were  entered  in  1862  nearly  308  ships,  manned  by 
1,500  sailors  ;  at  Dantzig  there  are  348  ships  entered 
yearly  ;  at  Kiinigsberg,  at  Amsterdam,  at  Rotterdam, 
at  Antwerp,  an  equal  number ;  in  England  there  are 
about  3,270  counted;  the  need  is  urgent,  audit  is  most 
necessary  that  it  shoidd  be  satisfied,  for  so  large  a  Ijody 
of  seamen  must  not  be  allowed  to  live  on  without  reli- 
gion ;  the  task  is  a  great  one,  and  the  church  of 
Denmark  must  rise  to  its  level. 

The  assembly  generally  coidd  but  applaud  these 
sentiments,  and  Dr.  Kalkar  became  the  interpreter 
of  a  unanimous  feeling  when,  in  tlie  farewell  session,  he 
proposed  an  address,  drawn  uji  in  the  name  of  the 
society.  It  was  therein  demanded  that  the  entire 
church  should  take  more  interest  than  before  in  mis- 
sionarj-  labours ;  that  the  society,  whose  festival  had 
just  been  celebrated,  and  new  societies,  might  be  estab- 
lished, and  that  no  means  might  be  neglected  to  assure 
their  success.  Herewith  the  assembly  was  dissolved, 
all  the  mcml)ers  bearing  with  them  the  conviction  that 
its  efforts  would  be  blessed. 

Copenhagen,  Feb.  1863. 


RUSSIA. 

Thi?  Russian  sectarians  (Raskolniki)  may  be  divided 
chiefly  into  three  groups: — 1.  Those  who  have  priests 
(Popowsclitschina  or  Popowzj-) ;  2,  those  who  have  no 
priest*,  and  reject  the  greater  part  of  the  Christian 
dogmas  (Bespopowschtschina) ;  and  3,  those  who  not 
only  reject  dogmas  and  priests,  but  have  a  kind  of 
political  tendency  mixed  up  with  a  religion  of  their 
own.  To  the  first  Ciitegoiy  belong  the  Staroobijadzy 
(those  who  adhere  to  the  ancient  customs),  or  Starow- 
jirzy  (believers  of  the  old  school),  who  also  form  the 
most  numerous  and  best-known  sect.  It  originated 
through  some  fanatics  refusing  to  accept  the  Bible  as 
revised  by  the  patriarch  Nikon  in  1667,  and  the  other 
sacred  books  as  restored  fi-om  their  original  texts. 
They  rejected  all  the  reforms  introduced  as  being 
unchi'istian.  When  Peter  the  Great,  among  other 
innovations,  conformed  the  era  of  Russia  to  that  of 
the  rest  of  Europe,  and  transferred  the  date  of  the 
beginning  of  tlic  year  from  the  1st  of  September  to  the 
1st  of  January ;  when  he  further  decreed  that  beards 
should  not  be  worn  any  longer,  the  conservatives 
formally  seceded  from  the  established  Church,  called 
themselves  Staroobrjadzy  and  formed  a  distinct  sect, 
which  now  perhaps  counts  ten  millions.  On  the  wluile, 
however,  the  difference  between  the  respective  dogmas 
of  these  Dissenters  and  the  Orthodox  party,  there  does 
not  seem  to  be  much  essential  difference  ;  in  fact,  it 
is  chiefly  ceremonies  of  minor  import  which  ajipear  to 
have  led  to  that  wide  breach. 

Thus  the  Starowjerzy  walk  in  their  processions  round 
the  church  to  the  right,  use  beads  at  their  prayers,  sing 
the  Hallelujah  at  the  Easter-mass  twice,  and  have  seven 
breRd.s  at  the  Communion ;  while  the  '  Orthodox  '  walk 
to  the  left,  do  not  (with  exception  of  the  monks)  use 
beads,  sing  the  Hallelujah  thrice,  and  have  only  five 
breads  at  the  Communion.  But  the  Starowjerzy,  who 
object  to  cutting  off  their  hair  and  beard,  on  tlie  ground 
of  the  prohibition  contained  in  Leviticus  xix.  27,  also 


consider  the  use  of  tobacco,  coffee,  tea,  and  potatoes  as  ! 
sinful.    They  are  tolerant,  but  object  to  close  contact  ' 
with  those  who  differ  from  thrm  in  creed;  even  if  thej'  ! 
belong  to  their  own  family,  they  Mould  not  sit  with  ; 
them  at  the  .same  table.    The  sects  of  the  second 
category  are  of  an  older  origin,  and  owe  their  origin  to  ;| 
the  two  deacons,  Karp  (called  Strigolnik),  and  Nikitin,  .: 
who  went  out  of  the  Church  in  the  fifteenth  centuiy  at  j 
Novgorod.    In  1478  strong  measures  were  taken  against  j 
them,  but  thej'  managed,  bj-  a  general  dispersion  over  j 
Livonia,  Poland,  and  Pomorje  (Ai-changel  and  Olonez),  j 
to  keep  up  their  peculiar  creed.    Among  these  are  !| 
again  six  different  sects,  tlie  Fcodosians,  I'liilippones,  '\ 
Aristowze,    Rjabinowze,   I'omorjane,   and   Spassowa-  j 
Sloglassie  ('  saving  conformitv ') ;  but  they  all  agree  on  ,1 
tlie  main  points.    The  Orthodox  Church  they  consider 
to  be  heretical  and  condemned  ;  they  therefore  reject  the 
sacraments.    Baptism  is  in  tlu-ir  eyes  a  defilement,  and 
it  is  in  the  same  light  that  they  look  upon  the  conseei'a- 
tion  of  man'iage.    The  sect  of  the  Philippones  is  chiefly 
remarkable  for  its  two  minor  branches  of  the  'Morelt- 
sehiki,'  or  believers,  who  seek  death  by  combustion 
and  the  Saposchtschewanzy,  or  those  who   die  by 
fasting.   Very  little  is  known  about  these  fanatics  and 
their  mystic  dogmas.    Every  now  and  then  the  awfid 
news  arrives  from  Siberia  or  the  eastern  produces  that 
members  of  this  sect — by  hundreds  sometimes — have 
died  yoluntarily  in  a  pit  or  a  house  filled  with  com- 
bustibles, pious  hj  mns  on  their  lips  ;  or  that  others  of 
tlieir  number  have  died  through  total  abstinence  from 
food.    The  last-known  religious  solemnity  of  this  kind 
took  place  in  1849,  in  the  Government  of  Penii,  where 
eighteen  people  died  in  the  self-sotight  flames.  Another 
branch  is  known  by  the  name  of  Stranniki,  or  Bjeguny, 
'wanderers' — mere  vagabonds  and  thieving  strollers, 
who  live  in  forests,  plunder  what  they  can,  and  form 
altogether,  as  they  saj',  a  li\-ing  protest  against  the 
'  vexations  of  the  heretical  authorities.'    To  the  sect 
of  the  third  categorj' belong  the  'Judaizers'  (Judeist- 
wojoschtschie),  the  oldest  Russian  heretics.  Their 
origin  goes  back  to  the  time  when  Novgorod  entertained 
dreams  of  independence,  and  the  Lithuanian  Prince 
Michael  Olelkowitsch  came  to  that  city  in  order  to 
assume  the  reign.    With  him  came  many  IIel)rews, 
who  converted  a  multitude  to  their  creed,  and  thus 
formed  this  extraordinary  sect,  which  soon  spread  as 
far  as  Moscow,  and,  notwith.'^tanding  all  persecution.s 
exists  to-day  as  -v-igorously  as  ever.    It  is  now  better 
known  under  the  name  of  Subbotniki  (celebratcrs  of 
Sabbath).    These  believe  themselves  to  be  the  truest 
adherents  to  the  Mosaic  law,  and  the  real  elect  ;  yet 
they  know  very  little  of  the  Pentateuch,  and  confine 
themselves  to  certain  outward  acts  and  ceremonies,  such 
as  circumcision,  the  peculiar  celebration  of  Easter,  the 
reading  and  singing  of  some  psalms  in  Hebrew,  which,  j 
linwever,  they  write  with  Russian  characters,  &c.  They 
hfill  exjiect  a  Messiah,  and  nject  all  Christian  dogmas, 
the  sacrament.",  and  alihor  oaths.    Marriages  are  not 
binding  witli  them.    Fanatics  of  a  different  description 
are  the  Skopzy,  voluntary  eunuchs,  on  the  ground  of 
Matt.  xix.  12.    As  a  transition  from  these  must  be 
considered  the  Chlj-sty  or  Chlj'stowschtsehina  (Fla- 
gellants), who   first   appeared  in  1717,  at  Uglit.seli, 
in  the  eparchy  of  Rostow.    They  believe  in  the  speedy 
reappearance  of  Christ  and  the  impending  destruction 
of  th(^  world  ;  they  worship  in  secret  meetings,  with 
dances,  flagellations,  songs,  and  sometimes  orgies  of  llic 


26 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTL-VX  CHURCH. 


March  2,  1863. 


■wildest  description.  Their  notion  is  tliat  righteousness 
is  to  be  attained  only  by  self-mutilation,  and  they  reject 
nearly  all  existing  civil  and  religious  institutions.  To 
their  sect  belong,  strange  to  saj',  the  greatest  number  of 
the  richest  native  merchants.  They  deny  the  divinity 
of  Clu'ist,  but  assume  the  Messiah  to  have  come  for 
the  second  and  last  time  in  the  person  of  Peter  III. 
He,  so  their  account  runs,  suffered  martyrdom  under 
the  name  of  Seliwanow,  and  was  sent  to  Siberia. 
Recalled  from  thence  he  had  to  undergo  new  per- 
secutions, from  \ihieh  he  was  liberated  by  his  faithful 
flock.  A  few  years  later  he  was  sent  to  Susdal,  whence 
lie  went  again  to  Siberia,  where  he  will  remain  hidden 
until  the  Day  of  Judgment.  Then  he  will  appear  in 
all  his  glory,  and  will  toU  the  great  bell  in  the  Uspenski 
cathedral  at  Moscow,  assemble  the  true  believers, 
ascend  the  Eussian  throne,  and  hold  the  Last  Judgment 
at  St.  Peter.sburg.  Prom  that  time  forward  the  world 
will  be  a  habitation  of  bliss,  in  which  only  Skopzy  will 
dwell.  The  historical  foundation  of  these  absurdities 
is,  that  a  fanatical  Skopez,  the  peasant  Kondrati  Seli- 
wanow, from  Stolbowo,  was  convicted  of  proselytising, 
received  the  knout,  and  was  scjit  to  Siberia.  There 
his  partisans  proclaimed  him  to  be  their  INIessiah,  the 
late  Emperor  Peter  III.  Emperor  Paul,  hearing  that 
his  cousin  was  still  alive,  under  the  name  of  Seli- 
wanow, in  Siberia,  sent  for  him,  and  found  the  man 
to  be  half  mad.  He  accordingly  sent  him  to  a  lunatic 
a.sj-lum,  which,  in  1802,  changed  for  the  workhouse  at 
Sniolna.  At  last,  he  was  liberated  by  his  faithful  ad- 
herents, who  henceforth  rendered  divine  honours  to 
him.  The  Emperor  Alexander,  in  1820,  put  an  end  to  this 
by  sending  the  Messiah  to  a  convent  in  Susdal,  where 
he  died  very  soon  afterwards.  On  this  man  the 
Skopzy  have  built  all  their  faith  and  hope.  In  their 
religious  assemblies  they  appear  in  long  white  gar- 
ments, according  to  their  denomination  of  'doves,' 
'  bleached  ones,'  &c.,  sing  peculiar  songs,  and  perform 
strange  dances.  Every  Skopez  has  a  special  passport, 
sealed  with  Christ's  own  seal.  Their  ethical  code 
contains  mjiny  excellent  regulations.  Thus,  they  are 
not  to  use  bad  language,  and  must  neither  blame  nor 
reproach  their  neighbours :  the  use  of  liquors,  meat, 
and  tobacco  is  prohibited.  How  all  these  things  have 
been  able  to  survi\e  the  fearful  persecutions  that  were 
directed  against  all  heresies  at  different  times,  is  an 
enigma,  to  be  exjilained,  perhaps,  by  the  circumstance 
that  a  good  deal  of  money  does  a  gi-eat  many  thing.i  in 
Eussia,  more  than  anywhere  else.  'J'he  last  two  sects 
are  the  Duchoborze  (Adversaries  of  the  Holy  Ghost — 
Pneumatomachoi)  and  the  Molokane  (Milk-caters). 
It  is  to  be  hop(>d  that  a  time  will  come  w  hen  a  free 
Eussian  press  will  be  able  to  treat  of,  and  successfully 
to  combat,  these  religious  anomalies.— Pur^Acnow. 


GREECE. 

Whilb  a  war  of  unprecedented  magnitude  is  raging 
in  the  western  luniisphere,  and  tlireatens  the  Great 
Republic  -ivith  destruction,  and  hundreds  of  thousands 
in  Europe  with  starvation,  thus  causing  much  anxiety 
to  two  of  the  great  Powers  of  Europe — a  quiet  and  blood- 
less revolution  in  a  small  corner  of  Em-ope  has  given 
occasion  to  greater  anxiety  and  discussion,  and  threatens 
the  balance  of  Europe  and  the  peace  of  the  world  more 
seriously  even  than  the  former.    This  small,  and  here- 


tofore insignificant,  country,  is  Greece,  and  to  it  these 
few  lines  are  devoted. 

It  is  well  known  that  soon  after  the  acknowledgement 
of  the  Greek  independence,  three  of  the  great  Powers  of 
Euiope—  England,  France,  and  Russia — being  jealous 
of  each  other,  and  not  wishing  to  see  the  tlu-one  of  the 
new-born  kingdom  occujjicd  by  a  prince  from  either 
of  these  reigning  families,  agreed  upon  a  prince  of  a 
second,  and  even-  third-rate  jiower,  and,  after  a  long 
and  tedious  consultation  and  discussion,  they  at  last  cast 
their  vote  on  Otho,  the  second  son  of  the  House  of 
Bavaria ;  and,  without  even  asking  the  opinion  of  those 
o^  er  whom  he  was  to  reign,  they  declared  him  first 
king  of  Greece  !  He  arrived  in  Greece  under  the  ex- 
press condition  of  ginng  a  constitution  to  the  nation  ; 
but  a  prince  born  in,  and  nursed  by,  and  brought  up 
with  such  ideas  as  were  then  prevalent  in  the  Courts  of 
Germany — and  destined,  as  he  was,  for  a  cardinal's  hat 
—  neither  could  nor  would  fulfil  his  promise,  or  carry 
out  the  terms  agreed  upon. 

In  order  to  rule  as  he  wished  in  a  country  that  had 
but  recently  emerged  from  a  long  and  bloody  war  for 
freedom,  it  was  necessary  to  employ  other  means  than 
mere  brute  force  ;  means  by  which  a  nation  can  be 
brought  into  a  greater  state  of  servility  than  that  pro- 
duced by  the  sword.  Seeing  that  the  Greeks  were  an 
enterprising  nation,  and  that  the  country  possessed 
many  natural  resources  and  advantages,  and  that  the 
people  needed  but  a  little  encouragement  to  attain  a 
high  degree  of  prosperity  and  independence,  the  Court 
discouraged,  and  actually  prohibited,  all  that  was  cal- 
culated to  bring  about  such  an  attainment.  Therefore, 
no  roads  were  made ;  no  company  of  any  kind  was  al- 
lowed to  be  formed  ;  thousands  of  acres  of  public  land 
were  left  uncultivated ;  while  all  sorts  of  liLxurj',  fashion, 
corruption,  costliness,  extravagant  habits,  &c.,  were  in- 
geniously introduced  and  encouraged  by  it.  The  old 
maxim,  '  Divide  and  rule,'  was  so  freely  and  so  well 
applied,  that,  after  a  few  unsuccessful  efforts  to  put  a 
stop  to  the  daily  encroachments  upon  the  national 
rights,  the  people  acquiesced  for  a  time,  and  the  King 
mistook  their  acquiescence  for  a  wiUing  submission  to 
his  wishes. 

But  in  the  year  1843,  ten  years  after  his  landing  in 
Greece,  he  was  one  night  suddenly  suri-ouuded  in  his 
palace  by  both  citizens  and  soldiery,  and  compelled  to 
send  away  the  host  of  Bavarians  that  feasted  on  the 
carcass  of  poor  Greece,  and  to  sign  the  constitution 
which  he  promised  to  give,  but  had  not  given,  and  to 
swear  to  abide  by  and  fulfil  its  articles.  No  sooner 
however,  was  the  pressure  of  the  national  hand  removed, 
than  he  commenced  again  to  follow  his  old  beloved 
path,  and  as  he  did  not  dare  to  follow  the  example  of 
many  crowned  heads  in  Germany,  after  the  re^■olution 
of  1848,  who  trampled  upon  the  constitutions  they  had 
sworn  to,  he  continued  and  at  last  succeeded  to  render 
it  a  mere  printed  sheet,  by  ways  and  means  which 
made  him  effectually  an  absolute  monarch  under  the 
cloak  of  a  constitution,  while  he  deceived  Europe,  by 
ca.sting  the  whole  blame  upon  the  nation.  Money, 
offices,  orders,  decorations,  cajolery,  flattery,  and  the 
like,  were  lavished  by  the  Com-t,  till  at  last  the  consti- 
tution was  turned  into  a  mockery,  and  the  Chambers 
into  an  as.sembly  of  slaves,  where  none  sat  but  nominees 
and  tools  of  the  Court.  And,  to  complete  this  comedy, 
the  Court  played  so  well  its  part  in  1854,  by  placing 
itself  at  the  head  of  the  agitation  of  the  'grand  idea,' 


t 


Maech  2,  1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


27 


that  while  they  enriched  themselves  with  Eussian 
roubles  and  Grecian  drachmas,  and  attained  a  degree 
of  popiilarity  unprecedented,  they  succeeded  at  the 
same  time  inwipingaway  the  last  trace  of  sympathy  for 
Greece  which  remained  in  the  West,  and  in  forcing  the 
two  Western  Powers  to  occupy  the  Piraeus,  thus  making 
fools  of  the  Greeks  as  well  as  of  the  three  contending 
Powers !  But  the  delusion  did  not  last  long,  at  least  as 
far  as  the  Greeks  were  concerned,  and  they  uow  saw 
but  one  way  of  deliverance — viz.  the  expulsion  of 
King  Otho  from  their  soil.  To  effect  this,  several 
attempts  at  insurrection  were  made  by  some  of  the 
military  men,  which,  though  unsuccessful,  sen'ed  to 
prepare  the  people  for  the  last  and  triumphant  one  of 
last  October.  Such  is  a  brief  history  of  the  reign  of 
Otho  and  Amelia,  and  such  has  been  its  end.  But 
although  the  cause  is  removed,  the  pernicious  effects  of 
its  long  workings,  like  those  of  a  slow  but  sm-e  poison, 
will,  it  is  to  be  feared,  be  manifest  in  the  couutx'y  for 
many  years  to  come. 

Otho's  and  Amelia's  policy  was  not  only  injurious  to 
the  political  aspect  of  Greece,  but  also  detrimental  to 
the  social,  moral,  and  religious  g^o^^'th  of  her  people  ; 
for  the  means  employed  to  sustain  a  Government  that 
trifled  with  every  human  and  di\  inc  law,  could  not  but 
por\-ort  the  fine  qualities  of  a  people  which,  under  a 
better  Government,  might  have  been  transformed  into 
one  of  the  best  in  the  world ;  so  that  many  of  the  social 
and  domestic  virtues  which  were  prevalent  among  the 
people  before  and  during  the  revolution  of  1821,  are 
either  extinct  or  very  rarely  met. 

Then  the  Sabbath  was  strictly  kept,  now  there  is  no 
Sabbath  at  all.  Then  the  people  lent  to  and  borrowed 
money  from  each  other,  without  giving  or  recei\'ing  any 
receipts  whatever  ;  now  they  have  no  hesitation  to  deny 
their  own  signature.  Thm  the  people  trembled  to  take 
an  oath  when  it  was  required  by  the  law,  now  they  do 
not  scruple  to  swear  falsely  eitlicr  for  gain  or  revenge. 
Tfun  true  friendship  was  a  pleasing  aspect  of  the  Greek 
character,  now  you  seldom  meet  with  a  sincere  friend. 

But  I  will  not  dwell  any  longer  on  these  matters. 
Sufl&ce  it  only  to  add  that  Greece  is  indebted  to  the 
Court  of  King  Otho  for  many  of  the  vices  and  crimes 
which  mar  our  national  and  social  order. 

Bad  and  injurious  as  ha\e  been  the  influences 
both  of  the  Government  and  the  Court  of  King  Otho 
and  Amelia,  I  believe  that  they  were  designed  by 
Divine  Providence  for  the  good  of  the  nation ;  for,  as 
with  individual  character  trials  do  but  serve  to  form 
and  strengthen  it,  so  a  nation's  is  often  developed  and 
pm-ified  by  adverse  circumstances.  And  I  hope  that 
the  Greeks  have  passed  through  a  school  in  wliieh  they 
have  learned  that,  neither  in  fanaticism  nor  indifference 
are  they  to  liud  their  true  interests,  but  in  that  course 
which  reeoiumendii  the  proving  of  all  things,  and  the 
holding  fa.st  that  which  is  good. 

It  seems,  however,  as  if  greater  trials  were  yet  in 
store  for  Greece.  She  has  indeed  thrown  off  the  yoke 
of  the  Bavarian  Olho,  but  cannot  deliver  herself  from 
thi^  protectorate  of  the  three  great  European  Powers. 
Her  geographical  position,  and  her  just  claims  on 
Turkey,  have  placed  her  in  a  very  unpleasant  situation  ; 
aud  allhougli,  by  their  last  act  of  electing  Prince  Alfred 
for  iheir  King,  the  Greeks  have  shown  both  their  good 
sense  and  their  love  for  England's  liberties  and  her 
reigning  family,  they  an:  denied  the  right  and  privilege 


truitus,  which  have  been  trampled  underfoot  by  owe  at 
least  of  those  who  insist  upon  the  validity  of  such 
papers. 

But  though  England,  for  reasons  which  she  regards 
strong  enough  to  ju.stify  herself,  refuses  to  make  a 
nation  happy  by  giving  it  Prince  Alfred  for  its  king  ; 
and  the  Duke  of  Coburg  is  prevented  from  accepting 
the  same  offer,  which  Greece  seemed  willing  to  extend ; 
and  although  various  agencies  are  at  work  to  saddle 
her  with  a  second  edition  of  King  Otho,  and  thus  blast 
her  hopes  and  frustrate  her  claims  on  some  of  the  pro- 
vinces of  European  Turkey,  the  Greeks  are  too  wary  to 
ignore  the  importance  of  their  country  in  connection 
with  the  Oriental  question,  and  will  never  consent  to 
any  recommendation  which  is  calculated  to  jeopardise 
their  country's  future.  On  this  account  they  are  de- 
termined to  adhere  to  their  first  choice,  till  circum- 
stances remove  the  obstacles  in  Alfred's  way  to  Greece, 
or  open  the  way  for  another  Protestant  prince  who  can 
fiu'nish  sufficient  guarantees  of  his  qualifications  for 
such  an  important  post.  At  any  rate,  let  England  and 
the  world  understand  that  the  Greeks  will  accept 
neither  a  Catholic  prince,  although  he  may  consent  to 
be  baptized  according  to  their  own  Church — nor  a 
German  Protestant,  brought  tip  as  nearly  all  of  them 
are,  with  the  idea  of  the  divine  right  of  kings.  The 
Greeks  are,  both  by  nature  aud  training,  a  democratic 
people,  and  they  now  wisely  consent  to  have  a  king  over 
them,  because  they  see  and  feel  that  they  are  not  yet 
c^uite  prepared  for  a  republic  ;  but  they  will  not  willingly 
accept  of  any  prince  who  is  not  willing  to  reign  with 
a  strictly  constitutional  form  of  gorernment.  I  was  talk- 
ing the  other  day  with  one  of  the  members  of  the  'Holy 
Synod,'  on  the  rumom-  of  Ernest's  bringing  with  him 
his  nephew — a  Catholic  by  profession — who  is  willing 
to  embrace  the  Greek  religion  for  the  sake  of  becoming 
heir  to  the  throne  of  Greece,  and  he  expressly  declared 
that  Greece  needs  no  sucli  heir !  Indeed,  public  opinion 
is,  that  a  man  who  would  consent  to  change  his  religion 
for  the  sake  of  a  throne  is  unworthy  the  name  of  a 
man,  much  less  of  a  king.  He  may  be  externally 
washed  and  anointed,  but  in  his  heart  he  will  remain 
as  strong  a  Catholic  as  ever ! 

And  now,  in  conclusion,  let  me  add  that  since  both 
time  and  circumstances  unmistakably  indicate  that  the 
Greek  nation  is  about  to  take  a  leading  part  in  the 
aff'airs  of  the  East,  England's  duty  and  iuterest  is  to 
assist  it  to  get  into  the  right  track  and  make  a  good 
beginning.  This  will  save  her  a  great  deal  of  anxiety 
and  expense,  and  put  a  stop  to  all  schemes  of  aggran- 
disement on  the  part  of  the  Polar  Bear  and  the 
Western  Fox,  at  the  same  time  giving  an  impulse  to 
the  principles  of  both  civil  and  religious  liberty,  which 
are  so  much  dreaded  by  the  other  two  parties,  and  SO 
much  needed  in  the  East.  Greece  has  fixed  her  eyes 
and  placed  her  hopes  on  England  ;  and  although  she 
stands  in  a  very  critical  position,  she  will  still  give  ear 
to  her  advice,  and  patiently  wait  for  the  result  of  her 
efforts.  God  grant  that  she  may  not  be  disappointed! 
Athens,  Feb.  18G3. 


of  having  a  king  of  their  own  choice,  on  the  plea  of  i  Greece: 


The  New  York  Christian  Timrs  piilili^hes  the 
subjoined  letter  from  the  liev.  Dr.  Hill,  tlie  missionary 
of  the   American  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in 


28 


WORK  QF  THE  CIIKISTIAX  CIIURCIL 


March  2,  1863. 


Eov.  and  dear  Brother, — Our  work,  so  far  as  the 
maintenance  of  oiir  schools  is  concerned,  is  about  to 
comnieiice,  after  an  interval  of  some  weeks.  It  is 
my  intention  to  concentrate  them  as  much  as  pos- 
sible without  diminishing  their  influence ;  but  the 
dark  cloud  which  lias  for  eighteen  months  past  en- 
veloped our  country  causes  us  many  misgivings  for 
tlie  future,  and  we  know  not  how  w"e  may  be  affected 
by  the  breaking  up  of  all  those  bonds  which  united 
us  as  Christians  and  as  Churchmen.  The  trou1>les 
at  home  press  very  liea\'y  on  our  hearts — perhaps 
even  he.ivier  than  they  are  felt  at  home,  inas- 
much as  we  need  the  excitement  of  what  is  pa-ssing 
before  you  every  day.  Here  we  have  to  wait  from 
week  to  week,  often  in  the  greatest  suspense,  v.itliout 
any  cheering  surmi.se,  or  even  any  well-invented 
rumour,  to  relieve  our  anxiety.  We  endeavour  '  to 
stand  firm  in  our  lot,'  praying  daily  unto  the  Lord  God 
of  Hosts  to  send  some  angel  of  good  to  arrest  the 
plague  that  threatens  to  lay  desolate  our  once  fair 
heritage.  And  it  is  with  no  slight  feeling  of  gratitude 
we  can  say,  under  all  the  atl\  erse  circumstances  which 
have  befallen  our  beloved  coimtry,  and  which  must  have 
so  greatly  affected  tlie  prosperity  of  the  Church  at 
home,  'Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  ! ' 

Amidst  all  our  anxiety  re.sj)ecting  our  mission,  we 
have  had  mucli,  very  much,  to  encourage  us  in  the 
assurance  that  our  efforts  for  the  spiritual  improvement 
of  this  people  have  not  been  in  vain.     We  see  the 
fruits  of  our  early  labours  now  in  our  daily  intercourse 
witli  those  around  us.    I  have  had  occasion,  of  late 
more  than  ever,  to  observe  the  tranquillising  effect  of  j 
the  simple  preaching  of  the  Word  of  God  upon  the 
hearts  of  those  whom  God  has  bowed  down  with  afflic- 
tion. These  had  sought  in  vain  for  comfort  and  consola- 
tion in  the  dead  letter  of  Christianit}-,  to  which  they  have 
long  been  accustomed  ;  and  it  is  really  affecting  to  see 
the  almo.st  cliild-like  simplicity  with  which  the  pure 
Word  of  God  is  received,  and  the  surprise  they  exhibit  1 
wlien  passages  of  Scripture  are  pointed  ou*  to  them 
applicable  to  their  individual  circumstances.     Such  j 
texts  as  these :  '  Wlien  my  father  and  my  mother  for-  ^ 
sake  me,  the  Lord  M-ill  take  me  up ; '  '  Leave  thy  father-  ' 
less  children,  I  will  preserve  them  alive :  and  let  thy 
widows  txust  in  me,  saitli  tlie  Lord;'  'For  thy  Maker 
is  thy  husband  :  tlic  Lord  of  Hosts  is  His  name,'  &e. ;  i 
'A  bruised  reed  shall  He  not  break,  and  the  smoking  | 
flax  shall  He  not  quench  ; '  such  and  similar  texts,  appli-  { 


cable  to  mourners  suffering  under  the  loss  of  parents, 
children,  husbands,  wives,  have  been  wonderfully  blessed 
and  accompanied  by  suitable  reniai-ks. 

Some  little  time  ago,  an  incident  occurred  which 
will  gi\  e  you  a  good  idea  of  my  manner  of  preaching 
the  Gospel,  and  ^-ill  make  you  understand  what  ojspor- 
tunities  are  afforded  us  of  instruction  altogether  apart 
from  the  regular  les.sons  in  our  schools.  I  was  called 
upon  to  accompany  Miss  ]\Ivdligan  (on  the  arrival  of 
her  trunks  from  Smyrna)  to  our  Custom-house.  While 
waiting  in  a  private  i-oom  till  the  formalities  were 
gone  tlirough,  one  of  the  principal  officers,  a  highly 
respectable  gentleman,  a  man  of  good  education,  re- 
counted to  me  some  of  his  afflictions — the  loss  of  his 
wife,  quite  recently,  and  of  two  or  three  children  some 
time  bef  >re,  and  that  he  was  left  now  with  an  only 
child.  He  spoke  with  that  kind  of  submissiveness 
which  wc  always  hear  from  a  Mohammedan  who  resolves 
the  will  of  God  into  fatality,  and  bows  to  it  because  he 
cannot  rever.se  it ;  with  a  theoretical  belief  in  the  doe- 
trine  of  a  future  life,  but  destitute  of  the  power  and 
comfort  of  a  faith  which  bears  the  Christian  believer 
up  under  a  load  of  afflictions,  and  causes  him  to  esteem 
them  as  'light,'  and  'transitory,'  filling  his  heart  with 
the  hope  of  a  '  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight 
of  glory.' 

He  listened  with  miirked  attention  to  my  remarks, 
which  naturally  took  this  turn  ;  but  when,  to  enforce 
my  arguments  for  consolation  under  bereavements,  I 
spoke  of  a  reunion  with  our  departed  friends,  and  the 
recognition  of  each  other  in  the  hajipy  land,  he  inter- 
rupted me  with  eagerness,  and  asked  me  if  I  really 
believed  this.  I  said,  '  Certainly,  I  believe  it.'  '  Can 
j-ou  pi-ove  it  to  me?'  said  he.  'I  can  fill  my  mouth 
with  argument  .s,'  I  replied,  '  but  the  Spirit  of  God  only 
can  make  them  a>ailablc  to  persuade  you.'  I  then 
addressed  niys(>lf  to  this  point  seriou.sly,  during  which 
he  was  much  affected.  Others  stood  by  and  listened ; 
but  as  we  were  interrupted  hy  public  business,  I 
promised  to  send  him  one  of  my  sermons  in  Greek 
('2  Sam.  xii.  22,  2.3),  in  whicli  the  subject  is  fidly  dis- 
cussed. I  sent  it  to  him,  and  along  with  it  a  copy  of 
the  Psalms  in  ancient  Greek  (mai-king  many  of  them  as 
suitable  to  his  state  of  mind),  and  a  volume  of  con- 
soling subjects,  also  in  Greek.  He  sent  me  a  most 
kind  acknowledgement,  expressing  his  appreciation  of 
the  truth  of  the  doctrine,  and  of  the  comfort  he  had 
derived  from  it. 


ASIA. 


TURKEY  IN  ASIA. 

The  events  which  have  taken  place  in  the  American 
Mission  during  tlie  year  are  presented  in  the  following 
summary.  The  mission  is  divided  into  four  great  dis- 
trict* :—We.stern  Turkey,  Central  Turkej-,  Eastern 
Turkey,  and  Syria,  while  there  is,  besides,  the  Mission 
to  the  Nestorians  of  Persia.  AVe  give  the  narrative 
under  these  different  dinsions. 

CoxsTANTii,-opi.E.— William  Goodell,  D.D.,  Elias 
Riggj,  D.D.,  L  F.  Pettibone,  George  F.  Herrick,  Till- 
man C.  Trowbridge,  Missionaries;  Mrs.  Abigail  P. 


Goodell,  Mrs.  Martha  J.  Riggs,  INIrs.  Margaret  Trow- 
bridge, Mrs.  Helen  M.  Herrick  ;  Miss  Maria  A.  West, 
Teacher. — Two  pastors,  two  licensed  preacher.s,  eight 
helpers,  and  eight  teachers. 

Adri.\nopi.e. — Oliver  Crane,  Charles  F.  Morse, 
Minsiunnrifs  ;  Mrs.  Marion  D.  Crane,  Mrs.  Eliza  D. 
Morse. — One  teacher,  and  one  helper. 

Phimi'POPoi.is. — James  F.  Clarke,  Missiimary ; 
Mrs.  Isabella  G.  Clarke. — One  teacher. 

EsK.1  Zagha.. — Theodore  L.  Byington,  Missionary ; 
Mrs,  Margaret  E.  Byington. — One  helper. 

Smyrna.— Daniel  Ladd,  Edward  M.  Dodd,  Mission- 
aries ;  Mrs.  Charlotte  H.  Ladd,  Mrs.  Lydia  B.  Dodd. 
— One  pastor,  and  one  preacher. 

NicoMEDiA. — Justin  AV.  Pai-sons,  Missionary  ;  Mrs. 


MAKcn  2,  1803. 


29 


Catharine  Parsons. — Tliree  pastors,  one  proachpr,  five 
helpers,  and  nine  teachers. 

Bboosa.  —  Joseph  K.  Greene,  Missionary;  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  A.  Greene. 

SrvAS.— Oliver  W.  Wincho.stor,  William  W.  Liv- 
ingston, Missionaries ;  Henry  S. West,  M.D.,  Missionary 
Physician  ;  Mrs.  Janette  L.  Winchester,  Mrs.  Martha 
E.  I>ivingston,  Mrs.  Lettio  M.  West.— Two  preiichers, 
six  teachers,  and  one  helper. 

Cesaue.*.. — Wilson  A.  Farnsworth,  Missionary; 
Mrs.  Caroline  E.  Farnsworth. — Two  preachers,  seven 
helpers,  and  six  teachers. 

Mausovak. — Julius  Y.  Leonard,  Missionary  ;  Mrs. 
Amelia  A.  Leonard. — One  preacher,  four  helpers,  and 
four  teachers. 

On  the  way  to  the  mission. — Henry  C.  Haskell, 
Missionary  ;  Mrs.  Margaret  B.  Haskell. 

In  Aiiurica. — Josiah  Poabody,  Henry  J.  Van  Lennep, 
D.D.,  Edwin  E.  Bliss,  George  Washbm-n,  Missionaries ; 
Mrs.  Mary  L.  Peabody,  Mrs.  Emily  Tan  Lennep, 
Mrs.  Isabella  H.  Bliss,  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Jewctt,  Mrs. 
Henrietta  Washburn,  Mi.^  Sarah  E.  West. 

Four  members  of  this  mission  have  been  removed  by 
death,  all  under  peculiar  circumstances  ;  suddenly,  or 
after  a  very  brief  illness.  The  manner  of  Dr.  Dwight's 
departure,  when  journeying  in  Vermont,  on  the  25th  of 
January,  will  not  soon  be  forgotten.  Dr.  Jewett,  en- 
coiu-aged  hy  able  medical  opinions,  was  returning  to 
the  field  from  the  United  States,  when,  at  Liverpool, 
on  the  18th  June,  his  disease  suddenly  terminated  his 
life.  Mr.  Meriam  foil  by  the  hand  of  robbers  on  the 
3rd  of  Julj-,  and  his  wife  survived  him  only  a  few 
weeks.  Tiie  death  of  those  labourers  was  a  gi-eat  loss  to 
the  mission.  There  are  now  connected  with  this 
mission  twenty  churelies,  with  4G6  members,  of  whom 
fifty-eight  were  received  during  the  year.  The  whole 
number  of  persons  registered  as  Protestants  is  1.931. 
Thirl y-fivc  common  schools  contain  897  pupils.  The 
seminary  at  Bebck  and  tlio  female  boarding  school  at 
Hass  Keuy,  liave  been  suspended  for  a  time  with  the 
expectation  of  making  a  change  in  the  location  of  the 
institutions,  removing  them  to  the  interior.  The 
printing  of  the  mission  for  the  year  amounted  to 
8,307,000  pages,  of  wliich  2,840,000  were  pages  of 
Scriplujv.  Dr.  Riggs  has  continued  his  labours  in  the 
translation  of  the  Bulgarian  Scriptures.  There  are 
still  encouraging  indications  of  a  waking  up  of  Mussul- 
man mind  to  religious  enquiry. 

Central  STurktij. 

AiNTAii. — Benjamin  Sclmeidor,  D.D.,  Missionary  ; 
Mrs.  ,SuN,m  M.  Schneider,  Mrs.  Josephine  L.  Coffing : 
Miss  Myni  A.  Proctor,  'riark'r.-Ono.  native  pastor, 
one  ]ir«  acher,  and  nine  teachers. 

:MARASH._Georgo  H.  White,  Alvan  B.  Goodalc, 
M.D.,  Mixsionarirs  ;  Mrs.  Joanna  F.  Wliitc,  Mrs.  Mary 
E.  Goodale.— Ono  native  pastor  and  seven  teachers. 

OoRi-A. — Georgo  B.  Nutting,  Zenas  Goss,  Mission- 
aries ;  Mrs.  Susan  A.  Nutting.— Ono  preacher  and  two 
teacliers. 

Ai.Ei'ro.~Audrow  T.  Pratt,  M.D.,  Missionary; 
Mi-8.  SuraJi  F.  Pratt.— Ono  native  pastor  and  one 
teacher. 

ANTioni.— Homor  B.  Morgan,  Missionary;  Mrs. 
Susan.  H.  Morgan.— Ono  preacher  and  two  teachers. 


Mrs.  Powers,  of  this  mission,  died  at  Austerlitz,  N.Y., 
January  2,  and  Mr.  Powers  has  felt  constrained  to  ask 
a  release  from  his  connection  with  the  Board.  Mr. 
Coffing  died  March  26,  of  wounds  received  from 
assassins,  deeply  regi-etted  by  his  associates.  To  the 
12  churches  of  the  mission,  92  persons  were  added  by 
profession  during  the  year,  making  a  present  total 
membership  of  786.  The  total  average  number  in  the 
congi-egation.s,  at  25  places  for  stated  preaching,  i.s 
3,136.  41  common  schools  contain  1,628  pupils,  and 
614  other  persons,  adult.s,  are  receiving  instruction 
from  '  little  teachers.'  The  Cliristian  activity,  and  the 
self-denying  spirit  of  benevolence,  manifested  by  many 
of  the  native  Christians,  is  very  gratifying,  and  the 
progress  at  some  of  the  stations,  particularly  Marash 
and  Oorfa,  has  been  remarkable.  Dr.  Goodell,  of  Con- 
stantinople, remarked  after  attending  the  annual  meet- 
ing, '  God  has  indeed  done  marvellous  things  for  this 
mission,  whereof  many  hearts  are  glad.' 

63slenr  STnrkfjr. 

i\IosuL. — Two  native  preachers. 

DiAHnEKiR. — Augustus  Walker,  Missionary  ;  David 
H.  Nutting,  M.D.,  Missionary  Physician  ;  ]VIrs.  Eliza 
M.  Walker,  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Nutting.  —  One  native 
preacher,  and  one  teacher. 

Mabdin.— W.  F.  Williams,  Missionary ;  Mrs.  Wil- 
liams. —  One  native  preacher,  one  teacher  and  one 
helper. 

BiTLis.  George  C.  Knapp,  Lysander  T.  Burbank, 
Missionaries  ;  'bLrs.  Alzina  M.  Knapp,  Mrs.  Sarah  S. 
Burbank. — One  native  preacher  and  one  helj>er. 

EiunooM. — George  A.  Pollard,  Missionary ;  Mrs. 
Maiy  Helen  Pollard. — One  native  preacher  and  one 
teacher.  { 

Akadkik. — Sanford  Eichardson,  Missionary ;  Mrs.  i 
Ehoda  Ann  Richardson. — One  native  preacher  and  two 
teachers.  | 

Kharpoot. — Oi-son  P.  Allen,  Crosby  H.  Wheeler,  | 
Herman  N.  Barnum,  Missionaries  ;  Mrs.  Caroline  R.  \ 
Allen,  Mrs.  Susan  A.  Wheeler,  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Barnum, 
Miss  Arabella  L.  Babcock. — One  native  pastor  and  one 
teacher. 

In  Anwrica.  —  Henri  B.  Haskell,  M.D.,  Mission- 
ary Physician ;  Mrs.  Lucy  C.  Lobdell,  Mrs.  Sarah  J. 
Haskell. 

Tht^  number  of  churches  connected  with  this  mission 
is  11,  with  a  total  membersliip  of  344.    46  were  added 
liy  profession  during  the  last  year  reported.    There  are  j 
41  common  schools,  with  948  pupils.    The  tlioological  j 
school  at  Kharpoot  has  24  students.    The  average 
aggregate  number  attending  on  preaching,  at  30  places, 
has  been  1,338.    The  extent  of  territory  and  the  popu-  : 
lation,  connected  with  some  of  the  stations  of  this 
mission,  are  very  large,  and  the  developemonts  of  the  , 
work  are  encom-aging.    In  tiiis,  as  in  other  mi.ssions  in 
'i'urkey,  there  is  progi-ess  in  the  matter  of  self-support. 
The  students  in  the  theological  school  have  given  great^ 
satisfaction  by  their  thoroughness  in  study,  the  tone  of 
their  piety,  and  their  usefulness  iu  Sabbath  and  vaca-  \ 
tion  labours.  | 

i 

Snriit.  j 

BiiiBLT.— William  M.  Thomson,  D.D.,  C.  V.  A.  \'an  ■ 
Dyck,  M.D.,  Henry  H.  Jessup,  Missionaries;  Gi-oi-ge  1 


30 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAX  CHURCH. 


Makch  2,  1863. 


C.  JL-arter,  Printer ;  Mrs.  Maria  Thomson,  Mrs.  Julia  '  mission,  but  afterwards,  in  ciisc  of  vacancy,  by  the  Board 


A.  Van  Dyck,  Mrs.  Caroline  Jessiip.  —  One  native 
preacher,  tlu-ee  teachers,  and  one  other  helper. 

Abeih. — Simeon  H.  Calhoun,  William  Bird,  Mission- 
aries ;  Mrs.  Emily  P.  Calhoun,  Mrs.  Sarah  F.  Bird. — 
One  native  preacher,  and  four  teachers. 

Shk  el  Ghurb. — One  native  teacher,  and  one  helper. 
SmoN  AND  Hasbeiya. — J.  Edwards  Ford,  J.  1,0- 
renzo  Jjyons,  Missionaries ;  Mrs.  Mary  P.  Ford,  Mrs. 
Catherine  N.  Lyons  ;  Miss  Adelaide  L.  Mason,  Teacher 
of  the  Female  Boai-dinff  School. — Two  native  preachers, 
and  eight  teachers. 

Hums. — One  native  preacher. 
Tripoli. — (Vacant. ) 

On  the  way  to  the  mission. — Samuel  Jessup,  Mission- 
ary ;  Mrs.  Eliza  Ann  Jessup. 

In  America. — Daniel  Bliss,  William  W.  Eddy,  Mis- 
sionaries ;  Mrs.  Abby  M.  Bliss,  Mi-s.  H.  JI.  Eddo,  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Hurter. 

This  mission,  tliougli  suffering  from  a  want  of  la- 
bourers, was  never  so  promising  of  spiritual  fruit  as 
now.  More  persons  have  avowed  themselves  Protest- 
ants during  the  last  twelve  months  than  during  the 
whole  previous  forty  years,  and  never  were  so  many 
inquiring  on  the  subject  of  religion.  In  Hums,  two 
hundred  and  fifty  persons  have  declared  themselves 
Protestants,  and  two  hundred  and  thirtj'-two  Maronitcs 
in  B'teddin  have  announced  their  adhesion  to  the  gos 
pel.  In  Cana,  the  Protestant  community  has  increased 
threefold.  The  Hasbeiya  church  was  broken  up  by  the 
massacre,  but  a  new  church  of  seventeen  members  has 
beenformed  in  the  Merj-Ayun  district,  mo.stof  them  from 
that  church.  Six  were  admitted  to  the  church  in  Sidon  ; 
there  were  also  additions  to  the  churches  in  Beirut  and 
Abeih  ;  and  nearly  forty  persons  are  reported  as  hopeful 
candidates  for  admission  in  connection  with  these  three 
stations.  Missionary-  associations  have  been  formed, 
both  of  males  and  females,  for  weekly  offerings  to  sup- 
port a  native  preacher  at  Hums  and  a  city  missionary 
in  Beirut,  and  to  supply  preachers  for  several  localities 
in  the  south.  An  unusual  number  of  adults  are  learn- 
ing to  read,  in  order  to  study  the  Scriptures,  and 
Bible-clnsses  have  been  largely  increased.  Tiie  mission 
earnestly  calls  for  a  strong  reinforcement. 


A  '  Prospectus  and  Programme  of  the  Syrian  Pro- 
testant Colelgiate  Institute,  Beirut,'  printed  in  Syria, 
has  been  received.  The  objects  aimed  at,  tlie 
Prospectus  states,  are  mainly  two.  '  First,  to  enable 
native  youth  to  obtain,  in  the  country,  the  literarj', 
scientific,  and  professional  education  which  the  exi- 
gencies of  the  community  demand  ;  and,  second,  to 
make  the  institution  indigenous,  self-governing,  and 
self-sustaining.'  The  college  will  be  conducted  on 
strictly  Christian  and  evangelical  principles,  and  '  w^ll 
J)e  under  the  general  supenision  and  control  of  a  Board 
of  Trustees,  elected,  in  the  first  instance,  by  the  Syrian 
mission  of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions,  from  among  the  American  and 
English  missionaries  and  residents  in  Syria  and 
Egypt' 

There  is  to  be  a  Principal,  or  President,  '  appointed 
at  the  commencement  of  the  institution,  by  the  Syria 


of  Trustees  ;'  and  the  professors  and  tutor.s,  of  whom 
several  wiU  be  needed  when  the  college  is  in  full  opera- 
tion, to  be  elected  by  the  Trustees,  are  to  be,  '  as  far  as 
practicable,  from  the  commencement,  educated  and 
pious  natives  of  the  country  ;  it  being  one  of  the  fun- 
damental objects  of  the  college  to  qualify  native  pro- 
fessors and  teachers  to  assume  the  entire  management 
of  the  institution  as  soon  as  possible.'  In  the  hope  of 
making  the  college  ultimately  self-supporting  as  well 
as  indigenous,  it  will  be  a  prime  object  to  make  educa- 
tion in  it  as  cheap  as  possible.  The  starting  is  designed 
to  be  upon  a  moderate  scale  ;  but  at  least  ^5,000  will 
be  needed  for  the  first  year,  to  pa}'  rent,  pro^-ide  appa- 
ratus, support  the  teachers,  &c.  Ecv.  Daniel  Bliss,  of 
the  Syria  mission,  now  in  the  United  States,  and  to  be 
for  the  present  located  at  New  York,  is  the  appointed 
President  of  the  institution. 

The  printed  Prospectus  is  accompanied  by  'Reasons 
for  establishing'  the  institution,  from  which  a  few  sen- 
tences may  be  quoted  here.  '  The  time  has  come  when 
decisive  measures  should  be  commenced,  to  originate, 
in  the  bosom  of  the  native  Protestant  community  of 
Syria,  all  the  educational  institutions  necessary  for  its 
permanent  existence,  growth,  and  prosperity.  In  no 
other  way  can  this  community  be  emancipated  from  the 
enfeebling  and  depressing  influence  inevitably  result- 
ing from  perpetual  dependence  upon  foreign  charity. 
The  con^-ietion  of  this  is  daily  becoming  deeper  and 
more  influential  amongst  intelligent  native  Protestants, 
and  awakening  the  desire  to  reach  a  position  more 
independent  and  satisfactory  ;  and  they  arc  learning  to 
be  more  liberal  in  the  use  of  tlieir  property  for  the 
support  of  their  religious  and  educational  institutions. 
It  is  of  the  utmost  importiinee  to  foster  and  encourage 
this  new  developement  of  organic  life  ;  and  to  do  this  is 
one  grand  object  in  view  in  the  establishment  of  the 
contemplated  college.  And  although  they  are  not  able, 
at  present,  either  to  endow  or  to  conduct  such  an  exten- 
sive and  expensive  institution,  without  aid  from  abroad, 
yet  very  liberal  donations  have  already  been  promi.sed 
from  natives,  and  a  number  of  educated  and  talented 
gentlemen  are  ready  to  consecrate  their  lives  as  teachers, 
totlie  achievement  of  this  irajwrtant  entei-prise.  It  is  also 
a  significant  and  encouraging  fact,  that  a  more  just 
appreciation  of  the  value  of  education  is  rapidly  spread- 
ing through  the  Arab  community  generally.  Indeed, 
the  desire  for  education,  both  male  and  female,  of  a 
higher  order  than  has  heretofore  been  possible,  has  risen 
to  a  sort  of  passion  in  Beirut,  in  certain  parts  of 
Lebanon,  and  even  in  some  cities  and  towns  farther 
inland. 

'  Well  aware  of  this  growing  zeal  for  education,  the 
Jesuits  and  other  Roman  Catholic  missionaries  are 
rapidly  multiplying  their  institutions,  in  various  parts 
of  the  country,  and  holding  out  attractions  to  draw 
into  them,  not  only  all  those  who  are  awaking  to 
more  enlarged  and  liberal  views  and  aspirations,  but 
even  the  children  and  youth  of  Protestants.  One  of 
the  most  distinguished  Protestants  in  Sj-ria  has  sent  his 
son  to  a  Jesuit  college,  because  in  that  alone  could  be 
obtained  the  education  he  believed  to  be  necessary ; 
and  others  will  be  constrained  to  imitate  the  ruinous 
example,  luiless  provision  be  speedily  made  to  meet  the 
urgent  necessities  of  the  case,  by  the  establishment  of 
such  an  institution  as  this  college  is  designed  to  be.  It 
is,  in  fact,  no  longer  a  question  whether  or  not  educa- 


WORK  OF  THE  CimiSTIAX  CHURCII.  31 


March  2,  1803. 

tion  is  to  he  obtained,  but  simply  who  are  to  bo  the 
teachers.' 

The  importance  of  this  undertaking  mil  be  readily 
perceived,  and  it  is  hoped  that  those  to  whom  God  lias 
intrusted  the  means,  will  be  found  ready  to  give  it 
generous  assistance.  The  names  of  nineteen  individuals, 
English  and  American  residents  in  Syria  and  Egypt, 
who  '  agree  to  organise  themselves  into  a  Board  of 
Trustees,'  are  appended  to  the  Prospectus.  Among  these 
are  the  names  of  the  United  States  Consul  and  the 
English  Vice-Consul  at  Beirut,  and  of  the  English 
Consul  at  Damascus. 


The  Rev.  E.  Dodd,  American  missionary,  wi-ites, 
Feb.  3 : — '  We  have  a  small  clnireh  organised  in  this 
city  of  twenty  members.  At  Aidin  and  Thj-atira  we 
have  also  small  churches ;  these,  though  feeble,  are 
active  in  diffusing  the  truth. 

'  One  of  our  two  American  mission  families  now 
occupies  a  house  in  the  Turkish  quarter,  surrounded  by 
Moslem  families.  At  first  their  residence  was  looked 
upon  as  an  intrusion  ;  but  they  soon  made  acquaintances 
among  the  Turkish  families,  and  now  the  whole  neigh- 
bourhood is  friendly,  the  families  \ieing  with  each 
other  in  showing  their  attention,  sending  in  pre- 
sents, &c. 

'Visits  are  exchanged  among  the  families  so  fre- 
quently that  Mrs.  Dodd  has  hardly  time  for  her  house- 
hold duties ;  and  she  has  thus  abundant  opportunities 
of  speaking  for  Christ,  or  reading  a  portion  of  the  Gos- 
pel to  those  who  have  never  heard. 

'  I  have  frequent  visits  also  from  the  men  of  these 
Mahometan  families.  Some  were  visits  of  friendly 
courtesy,  and  some  for  "  religious  discussion." 
■  '  One  }-oung  Turk  came  a  few  days  ago,  all  bristling 
■with  arguments  drawn  from  a  book  recently  published 
by  a  Moolah  at  Constantinople,  in  answer  to  one  of 
Rev.  Dr.  Pfander's  against  Islamism. 

'  This  man  brought  forward  each  one  of  the  Messianic 
prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  applied  them  to 
Mohammed  !  You  can  easily  see  on  what  favourable 
ground  we  stand  when  thej-  thus  show  any  disposition 
for  argument,  and  especially  when  they  appeal  to  our 
Scriptures  as  uuthmty.' 

The  Armenian  community  at  Aidin  (the  railway 
terminus)  has  recently  invited  our  Protestiint  native 
helper  to  take  charge  of  their  school,  which  he  now 
conducts. 

More  persons  have  avowed  themselves  Protestants 
in  the  last  year  than  during  the  previous  forty  years. 
In  the  city  of  ancient  'Horu.s,'  250  persons  have  spon- 
taneoKsly  declared  themselves  Protestant.^,  to  whom  the 
Beirut  church  have  appointed  a  native  preacher,  paid 
by  their  local  missionary  society. 

232  Romish  Maronites  in  I5'teddin  have  announced 
their  adhesion  to  the  gospel.  In  Cana  of  Galileo  the 
Prot<'stai)t  community  have  incTcased  tlu-eefold.  The 
Hasheiya  church,  broken  up  by  the  massacre,  has  given 
17  members  to  one  formed  in  the  Mcrj-ayun  district; 
6  admitted  to  Lidra  church  ;  others  to  Beirut  and 
Abeik  churches  ;  and  no  lees  than  40  hopeful  candidates 
applying  for  acbiiission. 

Shall  all  these  Missions  be  closed  for  want  of  aid  ? 

Turkish  Missions  Aid  Society,  Fch.  1863. 


PERSL4. 

The  following- is  a  review  for  the  j-ear  of  the  Mission 
to  the  Nestortans  of  Oroomiah,  on  the  north-west 
border  of  Persia.  This  mission  is  intimately  con- 
nected with  that  to  the  Armenians  in  Turkey.  Both 
these  missions  are  at  present  in  great  need  of  aid, 
through  the  war  in  America,  and  the  consequent  high 
rate  of  exchange.  To  secure  their  continued  prosperity 
it  is  essential  that  they  should  receive  liberal  assistance 
from  this  countrj-.  The  Turlcish  Missions  Aid  Society  is 
the  channel  in  this  country  for  such  aid,  and  we 
earnestly  trust  that  its  claims  will  not  be  neglected. 

Ohoomiah. — Samuel  A.  Rhea,  Henry  N.  Cobb, 
Missionaries ;  Frank  N.  H.  Young,  M.D.,  Missionary 
Physician;  Mrs.  Sarah  Jane  Rhea,  Mrs.  Matilda  E. 
Cobb ;  Miss  Mary  Susan  Rice,  Miss  Aura  J.  Beach, 
Teachers. 

Seie. — Joseph  G.  Cochrane,  Benjamin  Labaree,  Jr., 
Missionaries  ;  Mrs.  Deborah  P.  Cochrane,  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth W.  Labaree  ;  Miss  Harriet  N.  Crawford,  Teachers. 

Salmas. — Jolin  H.  Shedd,  Missionary ;  Mrs.  Sarah 
J.  Shedd. 

Beturning  to  Persia. — Justin  Perkins,  D.D. 

In  this  country. — Austin  W.  Wright,  ISI.D.,  George 
W.  Coan,  Missionaries ;  Mrs.  C.  B.  Perkins,  Mrs. 
Catharine  M.  Wright,  Mrs.  Sarah  P.  Coan,  Mrs.  Sarah 
A.  Breath,  Mrs.  Esther  E.  Thompson  ;  Jliss  Fidelia 
Fisk,  leach  rs. 

The  Nestorian  mission  has  suffered  much  during  the 
past  year.  Mr.  Breath  died  of  cholera  in  November, 
1861 — an  irreparable  loss ;  and  Mrs.  Breath  has  since  been 
obliged  to  return  to  the  United  States  with  her  childi-en. 
The  health  of  Mr.  Ambrose  lias  required  him  to  relin- 
quish the  missionary  work,  and  the  same  is  true  of 
Mrs.  Thompson,  who  has  returned  to  the  United  States. 
The  health  of  Mr.  Coan  demanding  a  cessation  from 
labour,  he  is  also  now  on  a  visit  to  this  country,  with 
his  family.  On  the  other  hand,  Dr.  Perkins,  the 
founder  of  the  mission,  is  on  his  way  back  to  Persia. 
He  sailed  August  20.  The  Nestorians  have  been  ren- 
dered somewhat  restless  by  oppression,  and  by  the  vain 
hope  of  Russian  intervention  ;  but  God  has  not  forsaken 
His  ow  work.  Tiie  week  of  prayer  in  January  was 
observed  by  the  missionaries  and  the  native  preachers 
and  heljjers  throughout  thi^  tield,  and  awakened  great 
interest.  In  February,  there  was  a  revival  of  religion 
in  both  the  male  and  female  seminaries.  Sixty-two 
persons  were  admitted  to  church  fellowship  during  the 
year.  The  pledges  of  offerings  to  the  Lord,  made  with 
such  marked  liberality  in  April,  1861,  have  been  ful- 
filled, with  Tci-y  few  exceptions.  The  mission  has 
resolved  to  throw  the  support  of  the  schools  on  the 
Plain,  in  great  measure  upon  the  people.  There  is  a 
theological  class  of  fifteen,  all  of  whom  are  pledged  to 
become  preachers  of  the  gospel.  The  Nestorians  in 
the  mountains  were  looked  after  by  native  preachers, 
under  the  special  oversight  of  Mr.  Cobb,  whoso  place 
is  now  to  be  supplied  by  Mr.  Shedd.  There  is  more 
and  more  evidence  that  a  spiritual  work  is  going  on 
among  the  Moiiammedans  of  Persia,  though  it  is  still 
in  its  earliest  stage. 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Cochran,  of  the  Neetorian  Mission, 
gives  an  acoount  of  the  annual  meeting  of  the  native 


March  2,  1863. 


helpers  of  the  Church,  at  which  two  suhjecta  of  special 
interest  were  brought  nnder  discussion  :  — 

'  Our  annual  gathering  of  native  helpers  has  just 
closed.  The  meetings  were  well  attended  throughout 
the  three  days,  and  were  considered,'  by  some  of  our 
oldest  lielpers,  as  superior  in  interest  and  happy  im- 
pression, to  any  that  Iiavo  preceded  them. 

'The  two  engrossing  topics  were  National  Unity  and 
the  Organisation  of  a  Sunhados,  or  Gtmral  Council. 
It  had  been  prenously  planned  that  a  ci\-il  head  and  a 
bench  of  couneilloi-s  should  be  chosen,  to  whom  all  the 
evangelicals  would  agree  to  refer  their  civil  matters, 
with  the  probability  that  the  mass  of  the  people  would 
follow  the  example.  Consul  Abbott  had  been  consulted, 
and  liis  cordial  approval  of  the  movement  had  been 
seeure<l.  But  the  leading  Nestorians,  in  coming  to  the 
test,  evinced  much  timidity,  especially  as  there  was 
some  strife  as  to  who  should  be  greatest  in  the  new 
order  of  things.  Consequently  the  matter  of  a  civil 
head  was  waived,  and  a  Council  of  twelve,  from  different 
portions  of  the  plain,  was  vwy  unanimously  and 
entliusiastically  elected. 

'  The  election  of  this  Council  will,  it  is  believed, 
relieve  the  mission  of  much  of  its  burden  in  relation  to 
civil  matters,  and  we  hope  will  be  the  germ  of  greater 
independence  and  self-reliance.  Dea.  Isaac,  brother 
of  the  late  Patriai'ch,  whom  all,  save  a  small  clan, 
would  choose  as  tiieir  civil  head,  will  now  be  the  liead 
or  chairman  of  tlic  Council.  This  bench  of  councillors 
will  be  annually  elected,  and  honce  mil  be  answerable 
to  the  evan^:(  Hcals  who  choose  them. 

'  The  Snnhados  adopted  a  complete  confession,  cove- 
nant iuul  church  directory,  which  is  to  be  printed  and 
circulate<l,  and  the  signatures  of  all  bishops  and  deacons 
in  our  communion  is  to  be  obtained  to  it.  All  was 
adopted  with  singular  unanimity  and  cordiality.  A 
rule  limiting  the  church  ordinances  exclusively  to  the 
pious  and  their  offspring,  awakened  some  discussion  and 
dissent  on  the  part  of  a  few ;  but  probably  nineteen- 
twenti<  ths  of  the  meeting  were  of  one  mind,  and  the 
minority  (no  one  of  whom  has  the  charge  of  a  church) 
were  brought,  after  the  discus.sion,  to  agree  to  conform 
their  practice  to  the  decision  of  the  nnyority.  So  the 
vote  \vas  tidien  without  a  negative,  and  I  trust  that 
question  will  no  longer  be  a  source  of  serious  contention 
within  the  evangeliciil  church. 

'  The  Suuhados  stands  adjoui-ned  to  the  Ist  of  Sejjtem- 
bor  ue.\t.  Sectional  Associations  will  also  be  held 
quarterly  or  semi-aniuially,  in  the  several  districts 
particularly  on  the  plains  of  Oi-oomiah  and  Salmas,  and 
in  the  mountains,  at  which,  besides  matters  of  general 
interest,  all  local  and  sectional  questions  may  be  dis- 
cussed and  acUd  upon. 

'  The  students  of  our  seminaries  arc  assembling.  An 
amiable  and  liopefully  pious  young  bishop  from  Bootan 
lias  come  over,  with  tlie  professed  purpose  of  fitting 
himself  for  spiritual  labom-s  among  his  people  on  that 
side  of  the  momit;iins.  New  pupils  from  the  plain  of 
Oroomiah  are  to  be  received  only  on  the  payment  of  a 
sum  m  arly  equal  to  the  cost  of  board,  except  in  special 
cases,  to  I'c  decided  by  the  mission.' 

"Mr.  Cochran  also  describes  a  visit  to  Tabreer,  on  the 
easteru  shore  of  the  Oroomiah  Lake  : — '  Mr.  Labaree 
and  myself  have  \'isited  Tabreez  within  the  last  month, 
making  tln'  eii-cuit  of  the  southern  shore  of  the  Oroo- 
miah Lake.  We  visited  our  two  helpers  in  Sooldooz, 
about  fifty  mlhs  dLstant.    The  work  appears  to  be 


opening  in  that  popidous  and  beautifid  plain.  Efforts, 
more  or  less  direct,  are  being  made  not  only  among  the 
Nestorian.s,  but  also  among  Anneniaas,  Koords,  and 
Mussulmans,  and  books  will  be  furnished  in  future  for 
sale  to  all.  A  few  Annenians  have  expressed  a  desire 
for  regidar  preaching  in  Turkish,  and  two  lads,  speaking 
both  Armenian  and  Syriac,  are  promised  for  the  semi- 
nary. We  held  an  evening  service  in  Syriac,  which  was 
very  fully  attended.  No  opposing  force,  apparentlj', 
exists  there,  .save  inertia,  which  in  morals,  if  not  in 
physics,  is  here  found  to  be  a  very  positive  quantity. 

'During  our  visit  at  Tabreez,  we  were  increasingly 
impressed  with  the  importance  of  having  a  missionary 
family  located  there.  There  is  an  Armenian  jiopula- 
tion  of  nearly  three  thousand  in  the  place,  besides  a 
large  transient  population  of  merchants  and  traders 
from  the  AVest,  and  from  the  interior  and  India.  Pro- 
testant Gennans,  not  a  few,  are  also  fomid  there,  and 
much  liberality  exists  among  the  several  nationalities 
represented.  A  small  English-speaking  congregation 
could  doubtless  be  gathered.  Tabreez  is  the  civil  and 
commercial  emporium,  and  hence  a  religious  centre  ; 
and  all  that  is  done  for  the  gospel  there  would  open 
the  way  for  and  greatly  strengthen  the  work  throughout 
the  land.  Nicolas,  a  former  bookseller  for  the  Protes- 
tant German  mission  there,  assured  us  that  in  point  of 
liberalit}'  and  general  readiness  for  the  gospel,  Tabreez 
is  greatly  improved.' 


INDIA. 

^unjab  Plissionarg  Conftrtiitt. 

Thb  Conference  met  in  the  end  of  Divember.  There 
were  present  thirty-tliree  ministers  connected  with  six 
different  bodies  of  Cliristians.  Eleven,  including  two 
chaplains,  were  of  the  Church  of  England;  three,  includ- 
ing one  chaplain,  of  the  Church  of  Scotland ;  ten  Ameri- 
can Presbj  terians,  and  one  native  missionary  of  the  same 
communion ;  three  of  the  American  Methodist  Episcopal 
Clmrch  ;  four  American  Baptists,  and  one  Independent. 
The  Kajah  of  KuppoorthuUah,  Sir  II.  B.  Edwardes,  Sir 
Robert  Mont^iomery,  D.  F.  M'Leod,  Flsq.,  C.B.,  Financial 
CommissioncT  for  thePunjaub,  and  many  other  laymen, 
wore  also  present  as  monibers. 

The  following  is  a  detailed  list  of  missionaries  and 
chaplains : — 

Church  of  England. 

Rev.  R.  BuucE,  B.A  Dora  Ishmiel  Khan. 

,,   J.  M.  BaowN,  M.  A. .    .    .  Umritsur. 

,,   J.  Bartox  Agra. 

„   R.  Cl.vuk,  M.A  Peshawur. 

„   J.  Cooi'Eu  Dera  Ishmael  Khan. 

.,   C.  E.  Il.vnow,  B.A.  .    .    .  Lahore. 

,,   W.  Kr.r.Ni;.  B.A  Umritsur. 

„   H.  IHruiLVY,  M.A.    .    .    .  Meean  Mecr. 

„   J.  :M.  M.vrk  Kote  Kangva. 

.,   F.  W.vniEU,  B.A.     .    .    .  Umritsur. 
„   G.  Yr..vTES,  A.M.     .    .    .  Mooltan. 


Church  of  Scotland. 


Rev.  W.  FiutGussox 
„  R.  Patehsok  . 
.,   .L  Tati.oh  .  . 


.  71st  Highlanders. 
.  Soalkote. 
.  Sealkote. 


March  3,  1803. 


WORK  OF  TIIE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


33 


American  Presbyterian. 


.  Eoorkcp. 

W.  Ca-t.derwood,  M.A. 

.  UmbaUa. 

„ 

C.  W.  FOUMAK     .     .  . 

.  Xialiorc. 

)» 

GoLUCK  Nath     .    .  . 

.  Jullundiir. 

)t 

D.  Herkox,  ^I.A.    *  . 

.  Dhcra  Doon. 

»» 

L.  Janvier  .... 

.  Sabathoo, 

.  Lahore. 

Jl 

.  Ra\vul  Pindce. 

.  Loodianah. 

E.  Thackwell    .    .  . 

.  Loodianah. 

;j 

J.  S.  WOODSIDE    .     .  . 

,  Kuppoorthullah 

American  Methodist  Episcopal. 

Eev.  W.  Butler,  D.D.    .    .    .  Bareilly. 
,,   J.  L.  Hauser,  A.B.  .    .    .  Bjnour. 
„   J.  L.  Humphrey  ....  Mooradabad. 

Anierican  United  Preslyterian. 

Eev.  A.  Gordon  Stalkote. 

„   E.  H.  Stephenson  .    .    .  Sealkote. 

„  E.  P.  Swift  Stalkote. 

„   G.  W.  Scott  Sealkote. 


Independent. 


Eev.  J.  H.  BoDDEN  . 


Almorali. 


The  subject  of  tlie  sale  or  free  distribution  of  the 
Bible  and  religious  books,  elicited  considerable  differ- 
ences of  opinion ;  some  members  stating  that  the 
people  would  not  buy  books,  and  others  that,  in  many 
districts,  they  had  freely  done  so.  The  question  of 
female  education  occupied  a  prominent  position.  His 
Highness  the  Rajah  of  Kuppoortliullah  made  an  excel- 
lent speech  in  English,  in  which  he  expressed  his  heart}- 
sympathy  with  the  cause  of  female  education.  Mr. 
Forraan  stated  that  a  Bible-woman  was  already  at  work 
among  the  females  of  Lahore,  and  had  met  with  great 
encouragement.  Dr.  Butler  gave  an  account  of  what 
had  been  done  in  female  education  in  the  mission  with 
which  he  was  connected.  Several  native  speakers 
alluded  to  tlie  objections  which  natives  of  respectability 
have  to  sending  their  daughters  to  school.  Only  girls 
of  the  lowest  caste  can  be  got  to  attend  schools,  and 
even  they  with  difficulty.  The  higher  classes  of  girls 
and  women  must  bo  visited  in  their  zenanas.  Mr. 
Prinsep,  who  had  read  an  essay  on  this  subject  the 
evening  before,  took  this  opportunity  of  suggesting  that 
a  committee  of  ladies  should  be  formed  to  carry  out 
eomo  schemi-  of  zenana  etlucation  in  the  way  that  the 
lato  Mrs.  'MuUins  had  done  in  Calcutta.  At  the  _f  lose 
of  the  pro.'redings,  Mr.  Forsyth  read  a  resolution  which 
was  immediately  carried,  conveying  the  thanks  of  tlie 
conference  to  His  Highness  the  Eajah  of  Kuppoor- 
thullah, for  his  presence  among  them,  and  expressing 
their  deep  s(!nsa  of  the  able  manner  in  which  he  ful- 
filled the  duties  of  his  high  station,  and  their  congratu- 
lations on  the  mental  and  moral  advancement  to  which 
ho  had  attained,  with  a  hope  that  his  religious  progress 
would  not  end  here. 

At  the  morning  sitting  on  tli  •  third  daj',  Colonel 
Lake  in  th(!  chair,  Mr.  M'Leod  read  a  highly  suggestive 
and  able  essay  on  the  subject  of  a  native  pastorate. 
Another  essay  on  the  same  subject  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
French  was  read  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bruce.  The  speakers 
who  followed  were  the  Eev.  Messrs.  Nc\^'ton,  Hauser, 


Barton,  Brown,  Bruce,  Kecne,  and  Colonel  Maclagan. 
Mr.  M'Leod,  in  his  essay,  showed  the  advantage  of 
taking  native  pastors  occasionally  from  among  the 
learned  natives,  and  from  the  religious  devotees,  for 
whom  all  Indians  have  an  innate  reverence.  Some  of 
the  speakers,  including  a  native  missionary,  considered 
that  the  time  had  not  yet  come  for  having  native  pas- 
tors to  any  great  extent,  and  that  we  should  not  bo  in 
too  great  a  hurry  to  call  into  existence  a  native  chxirch 
under  native  pastors.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Newton  pointed 
out  the  distinction  between  pastors  and  evangelists,  and 
was  of  opinion  that  even  four  or  five  native  Cliristians 
were  entitled  to  a  pastor.  A  Church  Missionary  gave 
expression  to  the  opinion  that  a  native  church  should 
always  be  allowed  to  elect  its  own  pastor ;  and  that 
this  was  the  best  way  to  secure  the  right  man. 

At  the  afternoon  sitting,  Mr.  Perkins  in  the  chair, 
essays  on  the  subject  of  native  brethren,  and  how  their 
BjTiipathy  and  confidence  could  be  best  attained,  were 
read  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Herron  and  the  Rev.  Goluck  Nath. 
The  latter  viewed  the  subject  from  a  native  point  of  view. 
The  discussion  from  the  outset  took  a  very  unpleasant 
turn.  The  native  .speakers,  in  no  measured  terms,  and 
in  a  very  sweeping  way,  attacked  the  missionaries  as  a 
body,  and  condemned  the  manner  in  which  they  gene- 
rally treat  native  Christians.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Fergusson 
tried  to  stop  the  discussion,  but  Sir  Herbert  Edwardes 
hoped  the  Chairman  would  not  repress  any  exjiression 
of  opinion  on  the  part  of  the  nati^'es.  His  suggestion 
was  second (hI  by  Mr.  Melville.  At  the  close  of  the 
discussion,  Mr.  Woodside  poured  oil  on  the  troubled 
waters. 

On  Tuesday,  the  fourth  day,  before  the  regular  pro- 
ceedings commenced,  Mr.  Forman  stated  that  the 
native  brethren  who  had  spoken  the  previous  evening, 
had  expressed  themselves  sorry  for  the  hard  language 
they  had  used  on  that  occasion.  They  admitted  that 
they  had  only  represented  one  side  of  the  question ;  that 
there  was  another  side,  and  that  they  had  a  high  regard 
for  the  missionaries.  Much  discussion  took  place  on  the 
employment  of  converts.  Mr.  Herron,  of  Dehra,  said  he 
had  applied  to  Government  for  a  grant  of  land  for  his 
native  Christians.  Until  they  had  some  definite  foot- 
ing, and  an  independent  house  and  sphere  of  their  own, 
Christianity  in  India  would  be  merely  a  hothouse 
plant.  Mr.  M'Leod  said  the  Punjab  Government 
woidd  always  regard  most  favourably  applications  for 
land  ;  and  Sir  Herbert  Edwardes  remarked  that,  though 
this  liberality  was  peculiar  to  the  Punjab,  land  might 
be  bought  in  other  provinces  under  the  new  rules. 

Sir  Herbert  Edwardes  read  a  paper  on  Polygamy,  in 
which  he  advocated  the  dismissal  by  converts  of  all  but 
the  first  wife  ;  and  also  opposed  divorce  on  any  ground 
but  that  of  adultery.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Hadon  took  a 
different  view,  considering  that  Polygamy  before  eon- 
version  .should  be  no  impediment  to  admission  into  the 
Christian  church,  though  it  .should  not  be  permitted  to 
eoinmence  the  practice,  or  to  add  to  the  number  of 
wives  afterwards ;  and  that  such  polygamists  should 
not  be  allowed  to  hold  office  in  tiie  church.  Sir  Jler- 
bert  Edwardes  was  plied  with  objections  and  queries 
fi-om  all  sides.  Mr.  Cust  looked  upon  marriage  as  a 
contract,  and  it  was  a  bad  beginning  for  a  man  who 
embraced  Christianity  to  ri  jiudiate  all  former  contracts. 
Sir  Herbert  Edwardes  asked  whether  there  wa.s  not  such 
a  thing  as  an  immoral  contract.  Ml-.  Cust  thought 
contracts  founded  on  immemorial  custom  could  scarcely 

D 


34 


WORK  OF  THE  CI1RISTL\N  CHURCH. 


Makch  2,  1863. 


be  called  immoral.  The  Conference  was  about  equally 
divided  on  the  subject. 

On  the  subject  of  native  literature  several  papers 
were  read.  The  purport  of  the  whole  was,  that 
literature,  to  be  effective,  must  be  wi-itten  from  a  native 
point  of  view,  and  generally  by  natives.  Dr.  Newton, 
of  KuppoorthuUah,  considered  that  strangers  could  not 
hope  to  found  a  literature  in  the  country,  but  that  it 
must  rise  out  of  native  elements.  Sympathy  with  the 
feelings  and  customs  of  the  people  was  necessary  to 
successftil  authorshij^.  He  advocated  adherence  to  the 
native  forms,  language,  and  style,  except  where  any 
moral  obliquity  was  involved  in  so  doing.  Mr.  Forman 
was  a  strong  advocate  of  native  style  in  vTiting  and 
binding.  As  an  instance  in  point,  he  mentioned  that 
he  had  heard  of  20,000  Bibles  for  the  Brahmins  being 
bound  in  leather,  to  whom  such  ;v  thing  is  an  abomina- 
tion. He  thought  the  best  plan  was  for  missionaries 
to  write  their  books  in  English,  then  give  them  to  a 
translator,  and  lastly  hand  them  over  to  a  man  who 
could  put  them  into  idiomatic  native  language.  There 
was  some  discuission  also  aa  to  the  cliaracters  to  be 
used. 

On  Thursday  morning,  the  last  day  of  the  Confer- 
ence, the  chair  was  occupied  hy  Sir  Herbert  Edwai-des. 
An  essay  on  inter-mission  discipline,  by  thi;  Rev.  Jlr. 
Taylor,  was,  in  his  absence,  read  by  the  Eov.  Mr. 
Paterson.  The  essay  was  clear  and  practical.  Mr. 
Newton  was  requested  to  read  his  essay  before  discus- 
sion took  place.  This  essay  was  chiefly  of  a  tentative 
character.  It  set  out  with  the  fact  that  union  was 
desirable,  and  that  amalgamations  between  churches 
had  taken  place  in  England,  Scotland,  France,  Austra- 
lia, Canada,  America,  Pi-u.^sia,  and  elsewhere.  The 
writer  then  sketched  one  or  two  ways  in  which  he  con- 
sidered union  practicable.  The  general  inference  was, 
that  it  would  be  best  to  return  to  the  first  principles  of 
the  Bible  and  apostolic  times.  The  basis  of  the  Catho- 
lic Church  aimed  at  should  be  broad  and  liberal,  and  in 
every  way  coincident  with  that  of  the  groat  Invisible 
Church.  He  considered  that  when  the  native  Chm-ch  in 
India  should  stand  alone,  union  might  be  accomplished. 
The  natives  do  not  understand  all  our  differences,  and 
would  readily  embrace  any  scheme  of  union.  The  only 
difficulties  would  be  from  without.  But  were  mis- 
sionaries prepared  for  such  a  step  ?  Most  of  them  in 
India  were  men  of  liberal  views  ;  and  opposition  need 
scarcely  bo  expected  from  this  quarter  either ;  and  if 
so,  why  should  not  this  grand  idea  be  realised  ?  At 
present,  however,  it  was  only  possible  to  adopt  mea- 
sures for  future  union.  Sir  Herbert  Edwardcs  remarked 
that  tliese  essays  were  written  on  account  of  the  fact 
that  disunion  among  churches  did  exist.  Tliis  was  a 
matter  for  deep  regret ;  but  the  very  object  of  the 
Conference  was  to  promote  union  and  brotherly  love. 

The  Missionary  Conference  brought  its  deliberations 
to  a  close  on  the  morning  of  the  New  Year's  Day; 
and  in  the  afternoon  of  that  day  there  was  a  Public 
Meeting,  presided  over  by  Mr.  M'Lood,  at  which  seve- 
ral addresses  were  delivered.  On  Friday,  the  2nd,  a 
Supplementary  Meeting  was  held,  and  sundry  practical 
measures  were  adoptcnl.  Among  these,  the  following 
may  be  named  as  tlic  most  important : — 

1.  The  formation  of  a  Bible  and  Tract  Society  for 
the  Punjab. 

2.  The  organisation  of  a  Central  Lay  Committee, 
the  object  of  which  is  to  aid  native  Chr  tians  in  ob- 


taining secular  employment,  and  otherwise  to  relieve 
missionaries,  as  far  as  practicable,  of  all  secular  cases. 

3.  The  appointment  of  a  Committee  to  prepare  a 
petition  to  Her  Majesty,  praying  that  measures  might 
be  taken  for  the  preparation  ■  of  a  standard  Oordoo 
version  of  the  Bible,  to  be  published  under  the  sanction 
of  the  Crown. 

4.  A  Committee  to  petition  the  Indian  Legislature, 
on  behalf  of  the  Conference,  for  a  law  relating  to  the 
divorce,  in  certain  cases,  of  native  Christians. 

This  was  followed,  in  the  evening,  by  a  public 
meeting  for  thanksgiving-.  This  meeting  was  a  Tery 
appropriate  tennination  -of-  the  wliole  Conference. 
'  Not  only  the  members  of  the  conference,'  says  the 
Lahore  Chronicle,  'but  the  citizens  and  strangers  in 
attendance  on  its  sessions  from  day  to  day,  lhave  been 
deeply  interested,  and  all  acknowledge  that  the 
measure  was  one  of  complete  success.  The  deep 
interest  in  tlie  missionary  cause,  manifested  by  so 
liirge  and  influential  a  body  of  Christian  laymen, 
was  very  gratifying ;  and  still  more  gratifj-ing  was 
the  Catholic  and  fraternal  spirit  which  throughout 
the  six  days  of  the  Conference  pervaded  the  assembly. 
Even  tlie  disagreement  between  the  native  Christians 
and  a  portion  of  the  missionary  body  which  showed 
itself  in  the  discussion  of  Monday  last,  can  scarcely 
be  considered  an  exception  to  this  remark ;  for  the 
strong  condemnatory  expressions  used  on  that  occasion 
were  confined  to  two  or  tliree  indi\-iduals  on  the  side 
of  the  natives,  and  the  same  number  on  the  side  of  the 
Europeans  ;  and  of  the  latter  we  find  that  the  one  who 
spoke  most  strongly,  was  not  himself  a  missionary. 
Indeed,  the  missionaries  generally,  so  far  from  being 
indignant  at  what  was  said  by  their  native  brethren, 
heard  it  all  with  the  utmost  calmness.  Some  of  them 
acknowledging  that  the  complaints  were  not  altogether 
groundless  ;  and  we  have  since  learned  that  it  was 
the  missionaries  themselves  who  induced  the  natives 
to  come  forward  in  this  public  way,  and  declare  what 
grievances  the  community  had  to  complain  of;  more- 
over, it  was  because  the  Eev.  Goluck  Nath  was  supposed, 
from  his  intimate  acquaintance  with  native  Christians, 
to  be  able  to  explain  tlieir  views  fully  on  this 
subject,  that  he  was  appointed,  at  the  instance  of  a 
missionary,  to  write  the  essay  which  gave  rise  to  this 
discussion.  The  allegations  made  by  him,  though 
based  on  certain  facte  of  which  ho  had  definite 
knowledge,  are  understood  to  imply  no  dissatis- 
faction on  his  own  part.  And  we  take  pleasure 
in  stating  here  that  the  impression  received  by  our 
correspondent,  '  A  Lover  of  Fair  Play,'  whose  article 
appeared  in  our  last  number,  turns  out  to  have  been 
incorrect.  We  have  ascertained  that  tlie  missionary 
there  referred  to  did  not  request  the  native  Christians 
to  retract  what  they  had  said  in  the  Conference  ;  nor 
did  they  retract,  they  merely  expressed  a  regret 
that  thoy  had  given  a  one-sided  view.  There  was  a 
bright  as  well  as  a  dark  side  to  the  picture  ;  and  by 
not  presenting  both  sides  tp  view,  they  had  unhappily 
failed  to  do  justice  either  to  themselves  or  to  those 
missionaries  to  whom  thoy  and  their  brethren  are 
strongly  attached.  Our  correspondent  seems  to  have 
been  mistaken  likewise  in  thinking  it  was  the  wish  of 
certain  members  of  the  Conference  to  suppress  dis- 
agreeable disclosures.  What  they  wished  was  rather 
to  prevent  the  use  of  intemperate  language,  and  as  for 
the  proposal  that  one  of  the  converts  should  speak  in 


Maech  2,  1868. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTLVN  CHURCH. 


35 


Hindustani,  the  reason  of  this,  vre  are  told,  was  that  he 
spoke  English  with  difficulty ;  and  the  proposal  itself 
was  made  by  Sir  Herbert  Edwardes— the  gentleman 
who  was  represented  as  the  champion  of  native  rights 
and  free  discussion.  On  the  whole,  even  this  episode 
in  the  proceedint^s  of  the  Conference,  when  jjroperly 
understood,  is  not  much  to  be  regretted.  It  seems  to 
be  generally  believed  that  good  will  result  from  it  to 
both  the  parties  concerned.' 

'  This  Conference,'  it  adds,  '  must  be  regarded  as  an 
era  in  the  history  of  missions  in  this  country  ;  and  we 
trust  the  good  resulting  from  it  will  long  be  felt.' 

Proposed  Mission  m  Cashmeue.  —  The  valley  of 
Cashmere  is  now  almost  the  only  part  of  the  Pun- 
jab and  its  border  states  which  are  accessible,  where 
no  mission  has  been  yet  established,  and  which 
has  not  been  regularly  visited  by  any  missionary, 
The  country  is  very  populous.  Sirinagar,  its  capital 
city,  is  believed  to  have  a  population  of  nearly  200,000 
people.  Ladak  and  Iskardo  arc  iu  the  Cashmere  terri- 
tories. Yarkund  and  other  Chinese  towns  are  very 
closely  connected  with  it.  Although  an  independent 
state,  yet  successful  missions  have  often  been  established 
beyond  the  limits  of  British  rule;  and  it  has  been 
proved  in  some  instances,  as  amongst  the  Karens  of 
Burmah,  that  Christianity  may  often  become  more 
quickly  indigenous,  and  extend  itself  more  rapidly 
under  a  native  than  under  a  foreign  government.  The 
country  is  yearly  visited  by  many  Enghsh  travellers  ; 
the  Word  of  God  has  already  been  preached  publicly 
in  it :  and  it  would  seem  that  the  way  is  quit*  open 
for  the  commencement  of  regular  missionary  work — at 
any  rate  during  the  six  summer  months. 

It  has  been  proposed  by  several  persons  that  sub- 
scriptions be  raised,  and  an  appeal  be  at  once  forwarded 
to  the  Church  Missionary  Society  iu  England,  earnestly 
requesting  them  to  set  apart  a  missionary  for  this  par- 
ticular work.  The  expense  of  the  establishment  of  a 
new  mission  is  very  great ;  but  it  is  hoped  that,  if  libe- 
ral contributions  can  be  raised,  the  Society  will  gladly 
respond  to  the  call,  and  the  object  so  much  desired 
will  be  obtained.  A  paper  is  now  circulated  in  the  as- 
sured hope  that  the  friends  of  missions  in  the  Pnnjaub 
wiU  do  whatever  can  be  done  to  promote  the  establish- 
ment of  a  mission  in  a  country  so  near  to  themselves, 
which  promises  to  effect  the  welfare  of  a  whole  people. 

Mission  Statistics  in  Bengal.  —  The  Kev.  Dr. 
Mullens,  with  a  view  to  the  formation  of  statistical 
tables  of  Indian  missions,  sent  circulars  requesting  in- 
formation, to  missionaries  throughout  India. 

'  Of  th<»o  circulars  two  lnnuln;d  and  thirty  copies 
were  sent  out,  accompanied  by  one  hundred  and  fifty 
private  letters  to  individual  missionaries,  who,  from 
their  knowledge  of  the  writer  and  their  long  expe- 
rience, were  likely  and  competent  to  render  special  and 
valuable  .issistance.  The  expc^ctiitions  raised  respect- 
ing tlie  result  were  not  disappointed.  These  various 
communications  were  received  in  the  kindest  spirit  and 
met  with  a  hearty  response.  As  month  after  month 
passed  by,  a  stream  of  replies  continued  to  flow  steadily 
in  from  all  jiarts  of  tlie  country  from  Pcshawur  to 
Maulraain.  In  many  cases  a  second  letter  was  written 
asking  for  more  exact  information,  and  thus  with  a  view 
to  correct ne.vs  the  correspondence  was  continued  until 
the  letters  issued  had  amount  ed  to  two  hundred  and 
seventy  and  the  replies  to  one  hundred  and  seventy- 


two.  Besides  these  there  were  forwarded  to  Calcutta 
no  less  than  two  hundred  and  eighty  printed  reports. 
For  this  warm  response  to  his  jjroposal,  the  writer  de- 
sires to  offer  his  best  thanks  to  all  who  aided  him.  In 
some  cases  the  reply  consisted  merely  of  the  statistical 
table  duly  filled  up ;  in  others  brief  notes  were  added ; 
in  many  others  the  returns  were  accompanied  by  letters 
fuU  of  information ;  and  to  twenty-four  of  his  mission- 
ary brethren  the  wi'iter  is  indebted  for  long  and  able 
papers  on  the  recent  history,  progress  and  present  condi- 
tion of  the  missions  of  which  they  are  leading  members, 
for  which  he  desires  to  present  his  special  thanks.' 

Tables  of  the  Bengal  missions  are  pubhshed,  from 
which  it  appears  that  there  are  in  Calcutta  itself  27 
European  missionaries  and  7  native.  There  are  also 
25  native  catechists.  The  number  of  societies  repre- 
sented is  six.  The  number  of  communicants  is  449  ; 
of  whom  120  are  connected  with  the  Church  Missionary 
Society ;  84  with  the  Free  Chiu'ch  of  Scotland ;  and 
the  rest  are  about  equallj'  divided  between  the  other 
missions.  In  all  Bengal  there  are  69  European  mis- 
sionaries (including  those  that  are  at  home  on  a  visit) 
and  15  native;  150  catechists  ;  3,978  commimicants  ; 
18,516  native  Christians.  There  are  about  12,000 
children  under  instruction. 

The  Bombay  Guardian  reports  that  the  Calcutta 
system  of  Bible-women  has  been  established  in  Bom- 
bay. One  visitor,  the  wife  of  a  city  missionary,  has 
been  appointed,  and  others  will  be  nominated  as  soon 
as  they  can  be  found.  Immense  good  has  been  done 
by  two  ladies  in  the  Calcutta  jail.  They  were  the 
means  of  reforming  many  of  the  long-term  convicts 
now  imprisoned  at  Ootacanumd. 

PooNAH. — On  the  12th,  the  Rev.  James  Mitchell, 
of  the  Free  Church  Mission,  Poonah,  baptized  five 
natives.  One  of  them  is  rather  a  smart  and  intelligent 
young  man,  a  recent  convert,  having  received  the  truth 
in  the  love  of  it  within  the  last  two  months.  He  is 
just  now  engaged  as  a  sweeper ;  but  as  he  is  a  good 
reader,  it  is  hoped  he  is  destined  for  something  better. 
Another  man,  not  very  old,  has  been  an  enquirer  for  a 
considerable  time  ;  has  suffered  much  from  his  relatives 
in  consequence,  being  forsaken  of  his  wife,  and  turned 
out  of  doors  by  his  elder  lirotlu  r,  who  has  taken  posses- 
sion of  all  the  family  bullocks,  ploughs,  etc.  The  man 
is  a  Koonbi.  He  is  simple,  but  he  is  thought  to  be 
sincere  and  faitliful.  He  works  in  the  fields  as  a  day- 
labourer  just  now.  It  is  hoped  that  justice  may  yet 
be  done  him  in  the  restoration  of  some  of  his  family 
property.  The  third  is  a  blind  man  of  the  Poor-house, 
young,  of  Mussidman  extraction,  clever,  has  been  for 
years  acquainted  with  the  truth,  and  has  latelj-  shown 
much  anxiety.  The  other  two  are  women,  rather  aged 
and  dependent,  but  interesting.  One  of  them  lately 
took  refuge  at  the  Mission-house,  and  on  leaving  homo, 
threw  with  scorn  her  household  gods  into  a  well  by  the 
way.    She  is  by  caste  a  Koonbi. 

Mahrattas. — Mr.  Ballantinc,  of  the  American  Board, 
mentions  the  admission,  in  October,  of  tlireo  persons  to 
the  second,  and  fifteen  to  tlie  first  church  at  Ahmed- 
nuggur,  on  profession.  Four  of  the  number  were 
women,  eight  were  members  of  tlie  school  for  catechists, 
and  six  members  of  Mrs.  Ballantine's  scliool  for  girls. 
'  Two,'  he  writes,  '  are  the  only  cliildren  of  our  deceased 
brother,  Shaik  Daood,  whose  death  was  mentioned,  with 
some  particulars  of  his  life,  in  our  report  for  1860.  He 
I  suffered  from  poverty  and  disease,  but  he  left  his  wife 

Hi 


!  36 

I  _ 

and  children  the  rich  legacy  of  liis  earnest  and  believing 
praj-ers.  His  wife  was  received  to  the  church  the  same 
year  that  he  died,  and  his  hoys  have  now  conje  in  also. 
"Leave  thy  fatherless  children,  I  will  preserve  them 
alive  ;  and  let  thy  mdows  trust  in  me."  Daood  rested 
on  this  promise  -with  unshaken  confidence.  Like 
Clu'istiana  and  her  children,  the  widow  and  her  two 
.'^ons  are  now  following  in  the  same  path  which  the  dear 
liusliand  and  father  recommended  by  his  example,  and 
earnestly  exhorted  them  to  pursue.  The  mother  of 
Daood's  widow,  too,  once  a  strong  believer  in  Mohammed, 
now  worships  the  blessed  Saviour,  and  desires  to  profess 
his  name  before  men.  She  will  probably  be  received 
soon.'  On  another  subject  IMr.  Ballantine  remarks :  '  I 
am  happy  to  say,  that  a  small  book  of  hymns  for  children 
has  just  been  published  by  the  mission.  It  contains 
sixty-four  hymns  in  Mahratta,  printed  with  the  air  of 
the  tunes  to  which  they  are  sung.  The  metre  of  the 
English  hymn  is  preserved  in  the  Mahratta  version, 
which  is  adapted  to  the  tune.  The  most  common  tunes 
in  the  chikben's  hymn  and  tune  books  at  home  are 
now  in  use  among  the  Christian  childi-en  of  this 
country,  and  they  sing  them  with  the  same  enthusiasm 
■which  is  manifested  by  cliiklren  in  America.' 


STIjt  ^jiots  JOf  Pgso«. 

The  spiritual  condition  of  the  Mysore  people  is  most 
:     deplorable.    With  the  exception  of  a  few  large  places, 
.    the  population  is  scattered  in  small  towns,  villages,  and 
hamlets.    The  oldest  religion  is  that  of  Shiva.  The 
I     worshippers  of  Vishnu  are  nearly  all  foreigners  from 
1     the  Tamul  country,  and  are  either  employed  in  public 
j     offices  or  attached  to  temples  that  have  free  lands  and 
I     annual  grants  from  the  Government.    The  temples 
dedicated  to  Shiva  are  few  and  generally  small.  The 
!     worship  of  female  divinities  prevails  over  every  other, 
j     and  is  celebrated  with  the  most  revolting  rites. 
'        The  great  body  of  the  people  are  cultivators,  who 
j     rent  small  portions  of  land  from  the  Government,  live 
I     in  houses  of  mud  walls  and  thatched  roof,  on  coarse 
I    monotonous  diet,   and  wear  scanty  clothing.  The 
I    Brahman  doctrine  is  that  thej'  arc  born  to  be  slaves  to 
'     the  three  castes  above  them  ;  and  a  Brahman  proverb 
I    likens  them  to  cocoa-nut  kernels  which  j-ield  their  oil 
j    only  on  severe  poimding  in  the  mortar,  and  to  sugar- 
\     cane  which  must  be  pressed  in  the  mill  if  you  woidd 
j     extract  the  juice.    These  ideas  have  been  well  carried 
j     out.    Generations  of  grinding  oppression  have  made 
I    the  ryot  what  we  now  find  him  ;  .stupid  as  the  oxen  he 
I     drives,  with  barely  their  instinct ;  ignorant  as  the 
practical  prohibition  of  even  the  rudiments  of  learning 
could  leave  him ;  stolid  and  unimpressible  as  the  clods 
I     that  hardly  yit'ld  to  his  plough  ;  yet  in  monej'  matters 
cunning  and  dishonest  almost  as  the  Brahman.  Dis- 
sembling,  fraud,  simulated  obtuseness,  and  passive 
resistance,  are  his  weapons  against  tjTanny.  His  innate 
capability  of  elevation  is  repressed  by  lazy  submission 
to  his  assigned  lot.    He  looks  upon  education  and 
I    religion  as  incompatible  with  the  tending  of  cattle  and 
cultivation  of  land.    Keeping  his  small  account  with 
I     government  (the  sole  use  of  education)  is  done  by  the 
I     hereditary  village  accountant,  and  the  village  priest 
j    attends  to  religion  for  him.    He  laughs  heartily  at  the 
idea  of  the  clumsy  mistakes  he  woidd  make  were  he  to 


March  2,  1863.  | 


attempt  to  worship  for  himself,  and  gladly  pays  tithe 
to  have  it  done  properly  for  him.  He  sincerely  believes 
that  the  village  idol,  a  natiu-al  or  rudely  carved  stcme, 
is  God,  and  that  it  arose  of  itself  out  of  the  ground. 
Occasionally  he  takes  a  cocoa-nut,  breaks  it  before  the 
idol,  jjoM's  the  milk  on  the  ground,  prostrates  himself 
or  stands  before  it  with  joined  hands,  and  prefaces  his 
short  petition  for  some  temporal  benefit  with,  '  0  great 
God ! '  A  stone  bull  or  the  filthy  linga  is  the  usual 
idol  in  the  temples.  Li  his  field  a  rough  stone,  occa- 
sionally bearing  some  unintelligible  figure,  receives  his 
adoration.  Often  a  few  stones  arranged  like  a  child's 
'  baby  house,'  form  the  slirine  of  a  shapeless  piece  of 
dried  mud  which  he  regards  as  a  tutelar  god. 

The  number  of  female  divinities,  all  variations  of 
Parvati,  the  wife  of  Shiva,  is  immense.  Besides  tlie 
daily  and  occasional  oflferings,  each  of  these  is  honoured 
with  an  annual  festival.  These  festivals  are  numerously 
attended.  Thousands  of  people  assemble  from  the 
country  twenty  or  thirty  miles  round.  Fowls,  sheep, 
and  buffaloes,  are  sacrificed.  At  a  hamlet  of  two  or 
three  houses  within  six  miles  of  one  of  our  mission 
stations,  there  were  sacrificed  at  the  festival  held  in  the 
early  part  of  the  present  j'ear,  twenty-five  buiFaloes, 
upwai'ds  of  two  hundred  fowls,  and  a  thousand  slipep. 
These  were  offered,  not  even  to  an  idol,  but  on  a  bare 
spot  where  the  sanguinary  goddess  is  supposed  to  dwell. 
With  all  tliis  blood-shedding,  there  is  no  religious  feeling 
whatever,  and  least  of  all  any  recognition  of  sacrifice  for 
sin.  To  the  people  it  is  more  unmeaning  slaughter. 
The  only  excuse  that  any  can  offer  for  it  is,  that  it  is  an 
old  custom,  and  it  would  be  wrong  to  neglect  the  prac- 
tices of  their  ancestors.  They  dread  the  e\-il  that  might 
residt  from  such  neglect.  These  festivals  are  oppor- 
tunities for  trade.  They  more  resemble  fairs  than 
religious  gatherings.  They  are  the  harvest  of  Brahmans 
and  strumpets.  We  dare  not  even  intimate  the  scenes 
enacted  ;  'for  it  is  a  shame  even  to  speak  of  those  things 
which  cere  done  of  them  in  secret.' 

Blind  adherence  to  ancient  custom  is  the  sole  religion 
of  the  ryot.  He  deems  it  as  perilous  to  forsake  this  as 
for  a  locomotive  to  quit  the  line.  He  has  his  religious 
beliefs  and  prejudices ;  but  to  the  fears,  hopes, joys,  and 
all  the  emotions  of  religion,  he  is  an  utter  stranger. 
Wliatever  may  be  thought  of  the  monstrosity  or  impos- 
sibility, he  sincerely  believes  in  the  divinity  of  a  stone. 
The  evidence  of  his  senses  goes  for  nothing  in  the  face 
of  tradition.  How  coidd  it  spring  out  of  the  ground  if  it 
were  not  God  ?  Would  his  forefathers  have  worshipped 
it  if  it  were  a  mere  stone  ?  '  Does  it  not  avert  danger, 
succour  him  in  trouble,  remove  his  diseases,  send  rain 
and  fruitful  seasons  ?  And  how  could  it  do  these  things 
if  it  were  not  God  ?  It  appears  like  any  otlier  stone, 
but  it  is  only  in  appearance ;  it  is  tndy  God. 

He  believes  in  the  omni-pervasion  of  God  ;  and  con- 
cludes that  as  we  cannot  see  '  die  gi-eat  God,'  wo  must 
worship  something  in  which  He  is.  No  matter  what 
that  something  be,  worship  paid  to  it  reaches  and  is  ac- 
cepted by  Him. 

He  regards  all  men  as  puppets  moved  to  virtue  or 
vice  by  God,  who  dwells  in  every  man.  This  rids  him 
of  all  personal  responsibility,  and  makes  him  indifferent 
to  his  futm-c  destiny,  be  it  heaven  or  hell. 

He  is  a  firm  fatalist.  Every  man's  destiny  is  written 
in  his  forehead,  and  not  even  the  gods  can  alter  or 
efface  tliat  writing.  All  that  he  does,  enjoys,  or  suffers 
is  inevitable ;  it  coidd  not  be  othenvise. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHEISTL^  CHURCH. 


March  2, 1863. 


37 


He  believes  in  the  transmigration  of  souls  ;  that  men 
are  rewarded  or  punished  in  the  present  life  for  the 
deeds  of  a  past  existence  ;  that  their  enjoyments  or  suf- 
ferings respect  past  births  only. 

He  believes  in  the  indulgence  of  God,  that  with  Him 
the  feeding  of  a  few  lazy  mendicants  is  a,  full  atonement 
for  the  most  heinous  sins. 

Like  every  Hindu,  he  fails  to  perceive  any  incon- 
sistency in  the  most  contradictory  teachings.  And  with 
the  Papist  and  Puseyite  he  concludes  that,  as  it  is 
easier,  it  is  'better  to  believe  than  to  reason.' 

He  is  a  tenacious  caste  holder.  Few  things  show 
the  antagonism  of  East  and  West,  Hinduism  and 
Christianity,  more  clearly,  than  the  dread  that  these 
all  but  naked,  semi-barbarous,  unlettered  rustics  have 
of  being  inveigled  into  the  '  English  caste.'  Our  books 
are  dreaded  as  devices  to  th'aw  them  into  the  mission- 
ary's caste.  The  horror  of  this  calamity  is  a  great 
stumbling-block  to  them. 

The  ignorance,  fatalism,  oppression,  and  mere  ani- 
mality  of  the  villager,  have  induced  an  immobility 
that  defies  and  baffles  the  efforts  hitherto  put  forth 
upon  him.  He  listens  to  preaching,  acknowledges  its 
truth,  laughs  at  his  idols,  but  is  xmconcerned  in  the 
matter,  and  never  for  a  moment  entertains  the  notion 
of  changing  his  life.  He  will  send  his  boy  to  school 
until  he  can  tend  cattle  or  be  of  some  use  in  the  fields. 
But  he  himself  cannot  read,  nor  give  his  thoughts  to 
any  subject  but  his  daily  occupations.  Discourse  on 
spiritual  things  to  him  is,  to  use  one  of  his  own  similes, 
like  playing  the  lute  to  a  buifalo.  He  is  content  in 
his  physical,  mental,  and  moral  degradation.  '  A  full 
stomach  is  my  heaven.'  '  My  stomach  will  soon  cry  out 
if  I  begin  to  think  of  anything  beyond  my  work.' 
Such  are  his  reasons  for  declining  all  effort  after 
salvation. 

Long-continued  fruitless  laboiu'  amongst  them 
fosters  the  temptation  to  regard  them  judicially  dead. 
Dead  they  are  Ijeyond  human  skill  or  hope.  The 
evangelist  feels  himself  powerless  as  a  physician  in  a 
cemeterj-.  What  then  justifies  our  labour  ?  The 
power  of  prayer.  Have  we  fully  tried  this  ?  Have 
our  Christian  friends  upheld  us  by  prayer?  Returning 
dejected  from  our  morning  M-ork,  weighed  down  by  the 
apathy,  in  bitterness  from  the  blasphemies  of  our 
hearers,  can  we  resort  for  consolation  to  the  satisfactory 
exercise  of  our  closet  pleadings?  As  we  bewail  the 
little  effected  by  the  missionaries  whom  we  help  to  send 
forth,  are  we  assured  that  tliey  have  been  to  the  utmost 
of  our  power  sustiiined  by  our  prayers.  Oh,  for  the 
spirit  of  grace  and  supplication  !  It  is  from  no  formal 
repetition  of  an  oft-used  expression,  but  from  a  deep 
and  increasing  conviction  of  our  indispensable  need, 
that  we  urge  upon  all  our  readers,  '  Brethren,  pray  for 
us,  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  may  hare  free  course  and 
Ia"  glorified.' 


TiNNiVELLV.  —  On  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Advent, 
an  Ordination  was  held  in  the  mission  church  of 
Palameottah,  Tinnivelly,  by  the  I^rd  Bishop  of  Ma- 
dras, then  on  his  fir.st  Visitation  to  the  Tinnevelly  mis- 
sions.   Seventeen  candidates-  a  large  number  for  this 
1   diocese-  all  engaged  in  missionaiy  work,  were  admitted 
'Priests'  and  'Deacons.'  Of  these  eleven  were  natives, 
j   men  who  would  do  honour  to  the  mini.sfry  anpvhere, 
j  who  being  found  duly  qualified,  solemnly  devot  ed  t  hem- 
selves,  and  were  set  apart  for  the  sacred  work  of 


preaching  the  '  Gospel  of  Reconciliation '  to  their 
fellow-countrymen,  and  gathering  into  the  fold  of 
Christ  His  wandering  sheep.  The  Europeans  ordained 
were — Deacons — J.  Stephenson,  St.  Augustine's  College, 
Canterbury.  Priests — Revs.  J.  Macdonald,  Cambridge ; 
N.  Howiss,  J.  Simmons,  and  W.  P.  Schaflfter,  Church 
Missionary  Institution,  Islington  ;  J.  M.  Strachan,  St. 
Augustine's  College,  Canterbury.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Cald- 
well, of  the  Edeyengoody  Mission  of  the  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  delivered  an  admirable 
address  full  of  wise  counsels  gathered  from  the  jiracti- 
cal  experience  of  five-and-twenty  years'  mission  work 
in  India.  The  Ordination  sermon  was  preached  by 
the  Rev.  E.  Sargent,  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society, 
and  was  an  earnest  practical  discoiu'se  on  the  duties 
and  dangers  of  the  Christian  missionary's  work.  Several 
of  the  natives  ordained  have  no  acquaintance  with 
English,  and  the  congregation  was  mainly  composed  of 
Tamil  Christians ;  hence  the  ser^'ice  was  parti}'  in 
Tamil,  and,  indeed,  throughout  was  strikingly  mis- 
sionary in  character.  There  was  a  great  gathering  of 
Tinnevelly  missionaries  on  the  occasion — an  occasion 
which  those  who  were  present  will  not  soon  forget — a 
welcome  testimony  to  all  interested  in  the  cause  of 
God,  of  the  progressive  life  and  -N-itality  of  the  Church 
of  England  Missions  in  South  India. 

Thayancore  Church  Mission. — The  Rev.  J.  Hawks- 
worth  gives  the  following  mission  intelligence  from 
Travancore  : — Yesterday  we  had  the  great  pleasure  of 
admitting  into  the  visible  church  of  Christ  a  larger 
number  of  converts  than  has  been  baptized  here  at  any 
time,  so  far  as  I  am  aware.  Messrs.  Schaffter  and 
Lane,  and  my  esteemed  assistant  clergyman,  the  Rev. 
K.  Koshi,  accompanied  me  to  our  last-erected  prayer- 
house  at  Chengalum.  We  found  the  place  crowded,  so 
that  the  first  class  of  students  from  the  college,  and  my 
own  preparandi,  had  to  stand  outside.  There  were 
sixty-five  candidates  for  baptism,  aU  neatly  clad  (so 
different  from  their  former  appearance),  and  their  faces 
beamed  with  delight.  After  a  brief  address  on  our 
Master's  command,  '  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
jjreach  the  gospel  to  eveiy  creature  ;  baptizing  them,' 
&c.,  they  were  questioned,  not  only  to  ascertain  their 
knowledge  of  scriptural  truth,  but  also  to  ascertain,  as 
fiir  as  possible,  their  apprehension  of  Clirist  as  a  living 
and  present  Saviour.  Their  answers  were  prompt, 
correct,  and  at  times  thrilling.  To  the  question,  Why 
is  Christ  gone  to  heaven  ?  the  reply,  instant,  unanimous, 
and  self-interested,  was,  '  He  is  gone  to  prepare  a  place 
for  us !'  Doubtful  cases  were  carefully  canvassed,  espe- 
cially by  one  who  had  visited  them  from  hut  to  hut, 
and  does  so  regularly,  who  knows  them  indi\-idually,  is 
energetic  in  proclaiming  the  glad  tidings,  and  who  was 
himself,  not  very  long  since,  a  sort  of  Saul  of  Tarsus, 
yet  rather  a  publican  than  a  Pharisee,  fierce,  reckless, 
and  dreaded,  until  won  over  by  means  of  one  whose 
gentle,  loving  zeal  attracted  many,  until  he  was  called 
up  higher  a  few  months  ago.  Some  strangers  were 
jiresent ;  they  came  to  request  that  a  prayor-house 
might  be  put  up  in  their  neighbourhood,  as  twelve 
families  wished  to  place  themselves  under  instruction  ; 
they  also  requested  that  some  one  might  be  sent  to 
another  neighbourhood,  wliere  there  are  manj-  who 
have  heard  a  little,  and  wish  to  hear  more  of  this  way  I 
As  several  have  been  under  instruction  for  some  time 
])ast  in  an  adjoining  village,  I  maj-  perhaps  l)o  per- 
mitted to  report  another  baptism  this  next  week. 


38 


WOEK  OF  THE  CHRISTL\N  CHURCH. 


March  2, 1863. 


Madura. — The  following  is  an  account  of  the  death 
of  the  -well-known  Mr.  Seudder,  of  the  Madura  Mission 
of  the  American  Board : — 

'On  Monday,  the  17th  November,  he  left  home  to 
A-isit  two  of  his  village  congregations  about  ten  miles 
distant.  In  the  afternoon  of  the  19th  he  started  home- 
ward, and  reached  the  Vaigarriver,  which  it  was  necessary 
to  cross  about  four  p.m.  He  found  it  so  high  that  the 
bandy  was  unable  to  pass  it.  He  immediately  decided 
to  swim  across,  as  he  had  done  several  times  before. 
The  swimmers  on  the  spot  and  the  natives  who  accom- 
panied him  endeavoured  to  dissuade  him  from  attempt- 
ing, but  he  was  confident  in  his  ability  to  cross  the 
stream ;  so,  taking  off  most  of  his  clothes  and  fastening 
them  on  his  back,  he  struck  out.  Just  then,  without 
even  a  minute's  Wiirning,  the  flood  from  the  mountains 
came  rushing  down  with  overwhelming  force :  nothing 
could  resist  this  mighty  toiTent.  The  natives  who 
were  there  describe  it  as  a  high  wall  of  water  dashing 
along  with  furious  and  impetuous  speed.  He  was  seen 
for  a  moment  or  so  with  his  hat  on  and  tho  clothes 
fastened  to  it ;  then,  for  an  instant,  his  bare  hoad  ap- 
peared ;  and  then — they  saw  him  no  more.  Next  day 
every  effort  was  made  to  find  the  body,  but  without 
success.  Not  until  the  fifth  day  was  it  discovered, 
floating  on  the  water  of  the  river  nearly  forty  miles 
from  tlie  spot  at  which  he  had  attempted  txi  cross. 
Those  precious  remains  were  then  brought  to  his  now 
desolate  home,  and  were  next  day  taken  to  the  Jiills. 
They  now  lie  in  the  quiet  churchyard  at  our  moiuitain 
Sanitarium.' 

Madras. — Dr.  Fennelly,  Bishop  and  Apostolic  Vicar 
of  Madras,  is  bitterly  displeased  with  the  now  Papal 
arrangements  for  India.  He  has  issued  a  Pastoral,  an 
idea  of  which  may  be  formed  from  the  following 
extract : — 

'  If  the  Indo-Portuguese  schismatic  priests  had  ex- 
pressed any  sori-ow  for  the  past — sorrow  for  having 
opposed  the  legitimate  arrangements  of  the  Pope  in  the 
government  of  the  church — sorrow  for  having  profaned 
so  many  sacrament.s,  even  the  greatest  and  holiest  of 
all  the  sacraments,  the  Blessed  Sacrament  of  the 
Eucharist — son-ow  for  having  pronounced  so  many 
absolutions  without  more  power  to  absolve  than  the 
Ramaswamy  with  tlie  mark  of  Vishnu  on  his  forehead 
— sorrow  for  having  assisted  at  so  many  marriages 
without  being  duly  con.stituted  (conformably  to  the 
decree  of  the  Council  of  Trent)  to  give  efficacy  to  the 
marriage  contract— sorrow  for  having  neglected,  ever 
since  the  suppression  of  the  Indo-Portuguese  bishoprics, 
to  ask  jurisdiction  from  the  Vicars  Apostolic,  as  in  tlie 
words  of  the  Pope  \iUi  per  erat]  they  ought  to  have 
done — sorrow  for  having  sent  so  many  persons  before 
the  judgement-seat  of  Clirist  without  the  aids  which 
religion  had  provided  for  them  in  their  pas.sage  to 
eternity — sorrow  for  having  kept  so  many  persons,  and 
for  so  many  years,  in  a  legalised  concubinage  without 
the  sacrament  of  marriage  or  sacramental  grace  ;  if 
any  sign  of  repentance  were  exhibited,  there  might  be 
hope  of  pardon,  and  a  real  extinction  of  schism :  because 
it  is  written,  Thou  hast  prostituted  thyself  to  many 
lovers ;  nevertlicless  return  to  me,  saith  the  Lord,  and 
I  wiU  receive  thee.  But  when  they  one  and  all  rojou'o 
in  their  schismatical  conduct  and  its  long  train  of 
deplorable  evils  ;  when  they  rejoice  in  the  humiliation 
of  the  Pope,  and  point  to  the  reversal  of  the  long- 
established  policy  of  the  Holy  See  as  an  argument, 


that  they  were  all  along  in  the  right  and  the  Popes 
in  the  wrong ;  when  they  maintain  (as  they  do  this  very 
day)  that  the  suppression  of  the  Indo-Portuguese 
bishoprics  in  British  India  is  n\ill  and  void  without 
the  bene  placet  of  tlic  King  of  Portugal ;  when  they 
maintain  the  inability  of  the  Pope  to  deprive  theaa  of 
jurisdiction  as  long  as  they  retain  material  possession 
of  their  congregationless  chiu-ches,  as  if  the  decrees  of 
the  Pope  should  remain  inoperative  without  a  military 
force  to  carry  them  into  physical  execution ;  wheB  they 
maintain  that  there  i.s,  and  has  been,  no  schism;  in 
India,  but  only  distractions  and  perturbations  caused 
by  the  Vicars  Apostolic,  who  are  under  the  immediate 
orders  of  the  Pope  ;  when  they  maintain  that  the  faith- 
less and  perjured  Archbishop  Torres  only  did  liis  duty 
by  disregarding  the  wishes  of  the  Pope  and  that  he- was 
superseded  by  the  Portuguese  Government,  not  at  the 
instance  of  the  Pope,  but  because  he  had  a  quarrel  -with 
some  influential  priests  at  Goa ;  when  we  see  things 
taking  no  turn  in  the  right  direction  ;  when  pertinacity 
is  become  more  pertinacious ;  when  tho.se,  -who  have 
carried  on  a  life-long  opposition  to  the  Pope,  and  are 
still  in  the  same  hostile  and  unfriendly  attitude,  only 
now  profess  submission  to  tho  Pope  because  he  through 
some  evil  influence  has  been  coerced  into  submission  to 
them,  and  has  j-ielded  unreserved  compliance  to  all 
their  unjust  and  unreasonable  demands  ;  when  they 
declare  (as  they  do  even  now)  that  tlioy  are  under  the 
order  of  the  Portuguese  Government,  and  ready  to 
obey  its  commands,  and  that  they  are  not  under  an 
obligation  to  obey  the  commands  of  his  Holiness ; 
when  we  see  all  this  and  more,  we  do  not  hesitate  to 
pronounce  tho  so-called  extinction  of  schism  a  sham,  at 
which  the  fi-iends  of  the  Catholic  Church  must  grieve, 
rather  than  rejoice.' 

Ceylon. — It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  the  progress  of 
Christianity  in  Ceylon  has  induced  the  devoted  adherents 
of  Buddhism  in  that  island  to  make  an  attempt  to  defend 
their  religion,  not  only  by  exciting  the  multitude,  but  also 
by  the  press.  To  this  end  they  have  foimded  a  society  en- 
titled 'Association  for  the  Destruction  of  Superstition' 
(i.  e.  of  Christianity!),  and  bought  a  printing  press,  from 
which  they  issue  Buddhist  tracts  and  pamphlets  of 
all  kinds,  and  circiilate  them  widely  among  the  people, 
much  in  tho  manner  of  our  Clu-istian  missionaries. 
Till  now  the  Buddliists  had  done  verj'  little  in  this 
direction,  while,  on  the  contrary,  Brahminism  has  long 
ago  brought  an  abundant  and  often  a  Icarnetl  literature 
into  tho  field  against  the  ambassadors  of  the  Gospel. 


BUEMAH. 

'  Anitza,  there  is  nothing  permanent,'  mutters  the 
devout  Buddhist,  as  he  walks  our  streets  counting  his 
beads.  Thougli  this  may  fall  on  the  ear  a  thousand 
times  as  a.  dead  platitude,  yet  circumstances  now  and 
then  occiir  which  make  it  felt  like  a  new  discovery. 

A  remarkalile  course  of  uninteiTupted  prosperity  had 
attended  the  Toungoo  Mission  up  to  our  last  Annual 
Assooiational  Meeting  in  January  ;  but  soon  afterwards 
what  may  bo  denominated  an  accident  befell  it,  wbich 
has  been  productive  of  the  most  disastrous  consequences. 
It  was  an  event  in  which  neither  the  missionaries,  nor 
the  assistants,  npr  churches,  had  tho  slightest  agency, 
and  yet  it  has  been  fraught  -witli  great  injury  to  all. 


March  2, 18G3. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHEISTIAN  CETURCIL 


39 


Two  Eiiropean  timber  merchants  had  been  attjiekcd 
by  dacoitfi,  and  robbed,  on  the  borders  of  the  province 
of  Shantaban,  near  the  Toungoo district;  andtlie  Com- 
miseioner  wrote  to  the  Deputy-Commissioner  of  Toungoo 
to  take  measures  to  recover  the  jiroperty.  The  Deputy- 
Commissioner,  having  learned  that  a  part,  at  least,  of 
the  plunder  was  in  the  house  of  a  Chief  named  Pokhai, 
he  ordered  out  the  Karen  police  of  twenty-five  men  to 
go  out  and  arrest  him,  and  bring  in  the  property.  As 
resistance  was  anticipated,  and  it  was  appreliended 
that  twenty-five  men  would  not  bo  sufficient  to  overcome 
it,  the  two  Staphans,  or  Karen  magistrates,  were  ordered 
to  eaU  out  a  hundred  men  each  from  their  districts,  and 
arms  and  ammunition  were  served  out  to  them. 

The  Secretary  to  the  Chief  Commissioner  reports 
oflSeially  thus  :  '  A  psirty  under  a  Nga  Khan  was  sent  by 
the  Deputy-Commissioner  to  the  said  village  of  Woottec, 
where  it  arrived  on  the  26th  of  March  last.  The  village 
was  prepared  for  resistance,  and  on  the  arrival  of  the 
party  before  it,  a  fire  was  opened  upon  them  from  a 
stockaded  house.  The  party  abstained  from  returning 
the  fire,  and  requested  some  one  to  come  out  and  .speak 
to  them  ;  but  as  the  firing  still  contiuued,the  Nga  Khan's 
party  fired  in  return.  The  result  being  that  the  village 
was  taken  by  the  attacking  party,  and  severe  loss  was 
inflicted  on  the  villagers.'  The  .severe  loss  arose  from 
the  house  being  bunit  down,  and  the  wife  and  daughter 
of  the  chief  with  several  others  were  burned  to  death. 

The  Secretary  to  the  Chief  Commissioner  continues  : 
'  It  appears  from  the  proceedings  received  from  Captain 
Lloyd  that  Captain  Burn,  Assistant  Commissioner,  who 
was  on  leave,  visited  or  was  near  the  above  village  diu'ing 
the  period  in  question,  and  it  is  stated  that  he  told 
Pokhai  he  was  sure  the  Deputy-Commissioner  of  Toun- 
goo had  not  sent  this  party.  Poekhai  is  reported  then 
to  have  said  he  would  go  and  destroy  the  Karen  villages, 
and  Captain  Burn  is  reported  to  have  said,  "  Do  so."  ' 

It  is  from  this  Captain  Burn  that  all  our  troubles 
have  arisen.  He  saicceeded  in  persuading  the  Red 
Karens,  the  siivagest  tribe  in  all  farther  India,  that 
Government  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the 
sending  out  of  the  party,  but  tliat  it  was  the  wanton 
work  of  the  Christian  Karens,  and  had  been  got  up  by 
me.  He  eirculat<^d  the  most  absurd  stories  to  excite 
the  Red  Karens  to  WTeak  their  vengeance  on  the  poor 
Tinoffending  Christians. 

The  result  has  been  that  two  Christian  villages  have 
been  burned,  two  or  three  men  kilhsd,  and  upwards  of 
twenty  women  and  children  carried  oft"  and  sold  into 
slavery ;  among  whom  are  Ihe  wife  and  two  children  of 
one  of  our  Karen  preachers.  Several  other  villages 
have  been  broken  up ;  and  a  dozen  have  been  kept  in 
such  a  state  of  apprehension  and  alarm,  for  the  last 
eifzht  months,  that  they  have  not  been  able  to  cultivate 
their  lands  as  usual,  and  next  year  there  will  be  a  great 
scarcity  of  rice.  Many  have  fled  to  almost  inaccessible 
crags  or  hidden  dells,  and  many  of  the  limestone  caves 
of  that  n'gion  have  been  made  houses  of  prayer,  and 
temples  to  the  living  God.  Literally,  '  They  wandered 
in  deserts,  and  in  mountains,  and  in  dens  and  caves  of 
the  earth  ;  of  whom  the  world  is  not  worthy.' 

We  hope  the  worst  is  past;  that  Government  will 
take  measures  this  dry  season  to  restore  peace  and 
confidence. 

Toungoo,  Dec.  6,  1862. 


CHINA. 

Pekin.^ — At  the  Chinese  Court,  French  influence  pre- 
vails through  the  present  Minister  of  State,  Prince  Kung. 
By  the  command  of  the  Emperor,  Tung-Tsche,  who  is 
still  a  minor,  every  facility  that  the  Catholic  mission- 
aries can  desire  in  traversing  the  country  is  freely 
granted  to  them,  and  all  local  authorities  are  enjoined 
in  the  Fdcin  Gazette,  on  pain  of  losing  the  Imperial 
favour,  to  beware  of  placing  any  obstacle  in  the  way  of 
these  only  '  virtue '  teaching  strangers.  It  stands  there- 
fore to  reason,  that  the  English  embassy  at  Pekin  has 
not  been  able  to  procure  for  Protestant  missions  the 
same  privileges  that  M.  de  Bourboulon  has  gained  for 
the  Catholic.  As  yet,  an  entrance  into  the  Chinese 
capital  has  been  obtained  for  one  Evangelical  mission- 
ary only.  Dr.  Lockhart,  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society,  and  it  is  principally  in  his  medical  capacity 
that  he  is  admitted  there. 

The  Catholic  Propaganda  has  so  far  profited  by  the 
successes  of  the  French  arms  in  China,  as  to  send  a 
missionary  statf;  headed  by  two  bishops,  into  Thibet. 
The  reports  of  the  Abbe  Durand,  published  by  the 
Annalcs  pour  la  prapayation  ch  la  foi,  give  a  graphic 
description  of  the  present  condition  of  Lama  worship 
in  Thibet.  The  wind  and  water  Korlo  (prayer  mills), 
are  the  only  way  and  means  of  salvation  known  to 
these  poor  heathen  I  ■ 

Hong  Kong. — Mr.  Lechler,  sent  out  to  labour  in 
Cliina  by  the  Missionary  Society  at  Ba.sle,  has  written  a 
private  letter  to  the  Mis.sionary  Committee  of  Geneva, 
with  whom  he  is  connected,  with  an  accoimt  of  his  pro- 
ceedings. "We  extract  from  it  some  interesting  facts 
connected  with  missionary  enterprise  in  the  island  of 
Hong  Kong — situated,  as  is  well  known,  to  the  south  of 
China,  and  in  the  possession  of  the  English. 

'  Since  the  war  of  1856,  at  the  outbreak  of  which 
all  German  missionaries  were  obliged  to  quit  their 
remote  stations,  and  to  take  refuge  in  Hong  Kong,  we  | 
have  begun  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  Chinese  in  this 
colony,  whose  number  is  not  less  than  100,000.  By 
degrees  a  few  individual  souls  have  been  snatched  from 
the  darkness  of  Jieathenism  ;  and  on  Easter  Sund;iy, 
1858,  I  had  the  happiness  of  baptizing  twelve  persons, 
who  have  ever  since  formed  a  small  nucleus  for  spread- 
ing the  knowledge  of  Christiiui  truth  among  the  in- 
habitants of  the  island.  Mr.  Winnes  has  since  baptized, 
at  various  times,  twenty  Chinese  converts  ;  and  in  the 
year  1861,  eighteen  rec(  ived  lioly  baptism. 

'  The  island  of  Hong  Kong  has  several  Government 
schools,  in  which  the  Bible  is  taught  during  one  half  of  j 
the  day  and  Chinese  literature  during  the  other.  The 
children  of  our  converts  attend  these  schools,  so  that  I  do 
not  occupy  myself  \^'ith  their  education,  but  devote  myself 
exclusively  to  preaching  the  gospel  and  giving  instruc- 
tion to  adults.  I  have  five  separate  places  opened  for  \ 
regular  worship,  on  five  days  of  the  week.  My  flock  is 
scattered  throughout  th<!  island,  in  the  town  of  Victoria, 
as  well  as  in  the  villages  situated  on  the  sea-coast,  or  on 
the  summits  of  the  liills,  and  the  bottoms  of  the  valleys. 
During  the  week  I  go  to  visit  the  Christians  in  these 
x-illages  at  their  own  houses,  and  to  preach  to  the 
heathen.  On  Sunday  I  have  a  congregation  of  from  80 
ot  100  souls.  Every  Wednesday  I  assemble  those  who 
are  under  spiritual  distress,  or  who,  being  only  half 
converted,  require  <'loser  explanations  and  more  personal 
application  thiui  I  could  bestow  upon  them  from  the 


40 


AVOEK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


Maech  2,  1863. 


pulpit ;  and  I  strive  to  enlighten  their  understandings, 

and  to  lead  them  to  the  Saviour. 

<  We  are  beginning  to  introduce  the  alphabet  in 
j  Eomau  letters  into  Chinese  books.  This  facilitates 
I  reading  to  an  immense  extent,  and  it  will  bring  the 
[    wrd  of  God  ■within  the  reach  of  Chinese  women,  who 


AUSTEALIA  AND 

]  The  Bill  for  abolishing  State  aid  to  religion  in  Sidney 
I  has  passed  the  legislature,  and  come  to  England  for 
the  Queen's  assent.  It  was  carried  in  the  Council,  as 
was  the  second  reading  in  the  Assembly,  by  a  majority 
of  one.  Petitions  from  the  clergy  and  from  trustees  of 
churches,  praying  her  Majesty  not  to  consent  to  the 
I  bill,  accompany  it.  Seven  members  of  the  Council 
Iiave  entered  their  reasons  of  dissent  on  the  minutes. 

I 

j       The  Church  Societj'  for  the  Diocese  of  Sydney  has 
raised  and  expended  since  its  establishment  in  1856 
I    about  60,000/.  in  the  extension  and  sustenance  of  reli- 
'    gion  in  the  diocese,  and  that  during  the  episcopate  of 
j    Bisliop  Barker  eightj'-six  buildings  for  public  worship 
have  been  opened  in  the  diocese.    Tlie  contributions 
!    of  the  Brisbane  Diocesan  Church  Society  from  all 
sources,  exclusive  of  the  expenses  of  carr}"ing  on  public 
,    worsliip  in    the   various   congregations,    amount  to 
I    6,217/.  12s.     The  increase  of  clergy  throughout  the 
colony  has  been  fivefold  since  the  arrival  of  the  bishops, 
viz.  from  three  to  fifteen,  and  others  are  expected. 

Mr.  Taplin,  of  the  Church  Mission  to  the  Aborigines, 
I  made  recentl}-,  at  a  meeting  in  Adelaide,  the  foUo^ving 
I   statement  :— 

'I  am  liapp)'  to  be  able  to  report  that  the  number  of 
children  capable  of  reading  the  New  Testament,  more 
or  less  correctly,  is  increasing  rapidly.  I  reckon  that 
.since  the  seliool  has  been  opened  twenty-one  natives 
have  been  rendered  able  to  read  tlie  New  Testament, 
and  about  twenty -five  have  been  more  or  less  taught 
to  read,  besides  the  above.  These  latter  would  be  able 
to  read  the  "  Second  Class  Book  of  the  Sabbath-school 
Union."  In  addition  to  this,  the  knowledge  of  the 
simple  doctrines  of  the  gospel  is  becoming  very  much 
extended.  All  the  blacks  of  any  intelligence  on  this 
side  of  the  lake  can  give  j'ou  some  account  of  the  lead- 
ing truths  of  the  Bible.  I  greatly  desire  to  see  the 
children  able  to  read  their  own  language,  and  thi.s,  by 
means  of  a  box  of  movable  letters  (kindly  presented 
by  the  Eev.  Mr.  Andrews,  of  Blakiston,  in  the  name 
of,  and  by  contributions  made  by  tlie  children  of  the 
Blakiston  Sabbath-school),  I  am  teaching  them  to  do. 
Jly  first  object  is,  by  this  mean.s,  to  enable  them  to 
read  to  the  old  people  divine  truth  in  their  own  lan- 
guage ;  and  my  second  object  is,  to  supplant  the  filthy 
and  obscene  songs  of  the  natives  by  others,  in  their 
own  language,  of  a  moral  and  religious  description.' 
In  regard  to  the  results  of  the  instruction  imparted, 
the  agent  of  your  Association  speaks  of  decided  im- 
provement in  the  character  and  deportment  of  the 
young  of  both  sexes.  '  The  boys,'  says  Mr.  Taplin, 
'are  fast  giving  up  their  .superstitions.  They  begin 
to  be  less  afraid  of  the  dead— indeed  I  have  heard 
some  of  them  .speak  of  the  dead  without  fear.  The 
boys  also  eat  many  articles  of  food  forbidden  by  their 
customs.  Eeligion  is  a  frequent  theme  of  conversa- 
tion among  tlie  j-oung,  and  prayer  is  with  them  not 
only  a  regidar  but  pleasant  duty. 

'  Your  Committee,  during  the  past  j'ear,  had  the 
happiness  to  seeiu-e  the  services  of  Mr.  Stapley  as 
assietant  to  Mr.  Taplin,  and  Mr.  Taplin  reports  of  Mr. 
Stapley  in  the  warmest,  the  most  approving  terms. 


have  not  the  time  or  the  faculty  to  undertake  the  study 
of  their  own  complicated  language.  The  Gospel  accord- 
ing to  St.  Matthew  has  already  appeared  in  this 
manner,  and  I  hope  gradually  to  be  able  to  print 
other  portions  of  the  New  Testament  on  the  same 
plan.' 


THE  SOUTH  SEAS. 

'"Worship,  domestic  and  public. — The  morning  and 
the  evening  sacrifices  of  praise,  reading  of  the  Word  of 
God,  and  prayer,  continue  to  be  daily  observed  in  the  i 
school,  and  occasionally  the  aborigines  from  the  I 
wurleys  avail  themselves  of  the  privilege  of  being  pre-  i 
sent.  Public  worship  continues  to  be  observed  on  the 
morning  and  evening  of  each  successive  Sabbath,  and 
the  meetings  have  been  well  attended  by  old  and  young. 
Not  only  is  there  propriety  of  beliaviour  during  the 
solemn  ser\-ices,  but  there  is  all  but  uniformly  the  most 
intense  earnestness  and  eagerness  in  listening  to  the 
glad  tidings  of  everlasting  life.  Your  Committee  are 
exceedingly  glad  to  report  that  Mr.  Taplin  is  able  for 
the  most  part  to  address  them  in  their  own  tongue,  and 
that  his  influence  over  old  and  young  for  good  is  daily 
on  the  increase. 

'  Mr.  Taplin  has  formed  a  more  complete  vocabulary 
of  the  language  than  has  hitherto  been  done,  and  he 
has  translated  into  the  native  tongue  considerable  por- 
tions of  tlie  Gospels.  Mr.  Taplin  visits,  as  opportunity 
presents  itself,  the  grown-up  natives  in  the  wurleys, 
and  is  especially  kind  to  the  sick  and  the  dying  ;  and 
your  Committee  are  happy  to  say  that  his  visits  are 
warmly  received,  and,  as  your  Committee  would  fondly 
hope,  greatly  blessed.  Your  Committee  would  refer 
with  pleasure  to  a  few  of  the  results  in  tlie  way  of 
good,  as  illustrated  in  the  case  of  the  advanced  natives: 
— "  1.  There  is  now  a  general  disposition  so  to  arrange 
the  hunts  of  the  tribes  as  for  them  to  be  here  on  the 
Sabbath,  and  if  tliey  do  not  all  attend  worship  they  at 
least  enjoy  pliysical  rest.  The  hunt  generally  starts 
on  Monday  or  Tuesday,  and  on  the  Friday  night  or 
Saturday  the  hunters  return  with  provisions  enough  to 
last  over  the  Sabbath.  Wlien  I  ask  the  hunters,  on 
their  dejiarture,  wlien  they  will  return,  the  reply  is 
almost  always,  '  Oh,  before  Sunday,  Mr.  Taplin,  before 
Sunday.'  2.  Tliere  is  now  a  general  preparation  of 
clothes,  washing,  mending,  &e.,  to  appear  decent  on 
the  Sabbath.  3^  The  Sabbath  is  kept.  The  children 
put  aside  their  marbles,  &c.,  and  the  usual  improve- 
ment of  the  Sabbath  during  the  interval  of  worship  is 
by  singing  hymns.  All  are  fond  of  singing,  and  some- 
times thirty  or  forty  vnU,  of  tlieir  own  accord,  raise  a 
chorus  which  will  make  the  phu'e  ring  again.  4.  A 
party  averse  to  fighting  has  arisen,  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  such  a  party  will  be  daily  increased.  6. 
There  are  several  cases  of  men  and  women  of  a  very 
interesting  and  hopeful  character."  Of  one  woman  the 
agent  writes  : — "  She  has  been  ill,  and  I  was  much 
edified  by  her  conduct.  She  asked  if  she  might  be 
allowed  to  sleep  in  the  schoolhouse  ;  '  for,'  said  she, 
'  you  see,  I\Ir.  Taplin,  that  these  men  will  play  at  cards, 
and  I  am  obliged  to  lie  here  in  the  wurley,  and  hear 
them  ;  and  wlien  I  hear  them  I  cannot  pray.  If  Jehovah 
should  look  down  and  see  me  praj-ing,  and  these  play- 
ing at  cards,  I  fear  he  would  be  angry.'  One  day,  after 
recovering,  slie  said,  'Ah,  Mr.  Taplin,  I  thought  I 
should  die  ;  but  I  laid  hold  on  Jesus  (ngate  Mirokkir 
tyan  Jesuse),  and  I  recovered.' 

'Your  agent  add.s,  "  I  am  commonly  now  sent  for  to 
persons  dangerously  ill,  for  the  purpose  of  talking  to 
them  about  religion,  and  praying  with  them." 

'  One  case  related  by  a  friend  of  the  blacks  may  be 
told  as  confirmatory  of  what  has  just  been  said.  A 


March  2,  1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CIIPJSTIAX  CHURCH. 


41 


young  black,  Wankfri,  was  lately  at  tlie  Goolwa.  fie 
called  upon  a  lady  on  the  afternoon  of  a  Saturday,  ask- 
ing her  to  lend  him  a  Bible  that  he  might  read  to  the 
blacks  on  the  Sabbath.  She  at  once  complied  with  his 
request,  and  he  took  the  Bible  and  kept  it  all  the 
Sabbath,  returning  it  on  the  Monday  with  many  thanks. 
The  lady  adds  that  Wankeri  regularly  attended  chapel 
while  at  the  Goohva,  and  his  behaviour  was  becoming 
and  reverent. 

'  External  improvement  on  the  Station  itself. — Much 
i  of  the  land  around  the  Institution  has  been  fenced  in, 
and  a  portion  of  it  has  been  trenched  and  planted  with 
vines.  Other  portions  have  been  dug  ;  and  potatoes, 
melons,  onions,  &e.,  are  now  seen  grooving,  and  giving 
indications  of  an  ample  return.  All  the  improvements 
made,  and  they  are  not  a  few,  have  been  effected  by 
the  paid  labour  of  the  blacks  —  a  labour  rendered 
cheerfully,  a  labour  steadily  pursued  ;  a  labour  bene- 
ficial to  themselves  in  habit  and  in  return  ;  a  labour  of 
great  moment  to  the  inmates  of  the  Institution.' 


KEW  ZEALAND. 

The  Smithem  Cross  (Auckland  paper)  gives  a  gloomy 
view  of  the  prospect  of  affairs,  as  regards  the  natives  : 

'No  new  feature  has  arisen  to  lead  to  the  suppoisition 
that  the  disaffected  tribes  are  anxious  to  return  to  their 
allegiance.  On  the  contrarj',  those  tribes  that  have 
declared  for  the  King  still  continue  staunch  adherents 
to  the  cause  they  espoused,  and  announce  their  deter- 
mination not  to  permit  the  opening  of  the  countrj'  for 
useful  purposes.  Substantially,  this  decision  amounts 
to  the  declaration  that  the  work  of  colonisation  must 
be  confined  within  certain  prescribed  limits.  The 
Eaglan  and  Waipa  road  is  to  be  stopped  at  the  Wnite- 
tuna  River,  which  the  Kingites  declare  must  not  be 
bridged.  Resolutions  have  also  lately  been  come  to 
prohibiting  the  Government  placing  a  steamer  on  the 
AVaikato,  or  spanning  it  with  a  bridge  at  Maungata- 
■vrhiri.  At  a  late  meeting  of  natives  at  Waipa,  the 
Bishop  of  New  Zealand  stated  that  he  attended  chiefly 
with  the  A-iew  of  having  the  Taranaki  question  peace- 
ably settled,  but  so  far  from  any  settlement  of  the 
Taranaki  affair  being  a  probable^result  of  the  action  of 
the  King  party,  the  natives  resolved  that  the  matters 
in  dispute  should  not  be  settled  by  arbitration. 

'  At  a  meeting  of  the  Wesleyans  held  at  Onehunga  on 
November  3,  the  Rev.  A.  Reid,  missionai-}'  at  Upper 
Waipa,  is  reported  to  have  said, — "As  he  was  the  only 
operative  missionary  present,  they  would  naturally  ex- 
pect him  to  say  much,  particularly  with  regard  to  the 
Maories.  But  he  had  determined  to  say  nothing  —  to 
bo  silent  about  Waipa.  There  wore  reasons  which 
would  lead  liim  to  prefer  saying  nothing  of  the  Maori. 
Wliat  he  said  here  would  be  reported  at  Waipa,  and  on 
tis  return  he  might  be  summoned  to  appear  before  the 
Runanga,  and  the  King's  party  have  made  a  law,  that 
if  any  missionary  dares  oppose  their  movements,  he 
shall  have  his  tongue  slit  and  his  ear  marked.  His 
position  was,  therefore,  not  a  very  encouraging  one.  If 
he  said  one  thing,  it  would  be  .said  he  was  a  peace-at- 
any-pricc  man ;  and  if  he  liad  said  another  thing,  he 
would  be  put  down  as  a  war  man;  whereas  he  was 
neither.  He  did  not  wish  to  introduce  politics  ;  but, 
in  the  present  state  of  affairs,  he  was  sorry  to  say  they 
could  not  be  avoided,  if  anything  was  to  be  said  con- 
corning  the  natives.  His  statements  must  differ  from 
those  of  former  speakers.  He  could  not  report  favour- 
ably of  the  progress  of  the  Gospel  among  the  natives. 
He  would  not,  however,  attempt  to  expose  the  evils  of 
the  Maori  -  -  there  were  plenty  others  always  ready  to 
do  that.  He  would  rather  endeavour  to  show  that  there 
waa  still  something  to  encourage.    Bad  as  they  were, 


they  were  not  so  bad  as  to  be  beyond  hope  of  recovery. 
The  Maories  hayp.  not  cast  off  their  allegiance  to 
God." ' 

The  Thnes  Melbourne  correspondent,  taking  the  same 
dark  %-iew,  reports  the  intriguing  of  Romish  eccle- 
siastics to  promote  rebellion  : — '  Before  lea\-ing  New 
Zealand  I  must  remark  that  she  at  present  is  more 
happy  in  her  auriferous  than  in  her  political  prospects. 
The  King  movement  still  goes  on.  Sir  George  Grey  is 
baffled  mysteriously — partly  by  the  hostile  Maories,  and 
partly,  as  according  to  general  report  he  complains 
himself,  by  the  intriguing  of  Roman  Catholic  ecclesi- 
astics with  the  natives.  By  the  last  mail  we  learn  that 
war  is  imminent,  and  that  both  Sir  George  and  General 
Cameron  have  tendered  their  resignations,  unless  backed 
up  from  home  with  15.000  troops.  The  position  of  both 
Governor  and  Commander-in-Cliief  is  a  ti-ying  one.  Opi- 
nions, both  in  and  out  of  the  New  Zealand  Parliament, 
are  much  divided  on  this  native  question,  and  certainly  one 
more  embarrassing  it  is  hard  to  conceive.  Not  Caesar, 
bf.<^ot  by  the  ever  peace-making,  treaty-breaking  tribes 
of  Gaul,  led  by  some  Orgetorix  or  Dumnorix  (the  Wi- 
riniu  Kingi  of  his  day),  had  a  more  diiRcult  part  to 
play  than  that  of  Sir  George  Grey,  for  the  molita  ci- 
haria,  and  other  supports  of  the  Roman  soldier,  were, 
in  his  time,  drawn  from  the  enemy ;  but  now,  notwith- 
standing that  we  go  warfares  at  our  o'wn  charges,  and 
politicians  are  demanding,  "Are  our  colonies  worth 
their  cost  ?  " — Sir  George  is  expected  (by  an  antagonist 
part}')  to  effect  colonial  ends  with  Imperial  means  not 
at  his  disposal,  and  which  British  Governments  may  be 
"  pei-plexed  in  the  extreme  "  about  granting.' 


MELANESIA. 

The  Mission  Field  gives  the  following  sketch  of 
this  mission,  which  owes  its  existence  to  the  enter- 
prising Bishop  Selwyn. 

'Melanesia  is  the  name  given  to  the  Islands  of  the 
SW.  Pacific  Ocean,  including  the  Loyalty,  New  He- 
brides, Banks',  Santa  Cruz,  and  Solomon  Archipelagos, 
and  reaching  onwards  to  the  W.  and  NW.,  so  as  to 
include  New  Guinea. 

'  There  is  no  estimate  of  their  number  which  can  be 
depended  upon.  But  there  are  certainly  more  than 
200  islands.  They  are  inhabited  by  people  differing 
widely  in  appearance  from  the  natives  of  the  E.  Pacific 
Ocean,  or  Polynesia. 

'  The  Polj-nesians  are  lighter  in  colour,  and  for  the 
most  part  of  larger  stature  than  the  Melanesians. 
They  speak  dialects  of  one  common  language,  and 
observe,  speaking  generally,  similar  customs  and  super- 
.stitions. 

'  The  Fiji  Archipelago  occupies  an  intermediate  po- 
sition between  Polynesia  and  Melanesia.  The  struc- 
ture of  its  language  is  PoljTiesian,  but  its  vocabulary 
differs  in  many  instances  from  that  of  the  ordinary 
Polynesian  dialects. 

'  A  native  of  any  one  Polynesian  island  would  almost 
inniiediutely  recognise  in  the  dialect  spoken  in  any  other 
Pol-^niesian  island  a  dialect  similar  to  his  own. 

'Sandwich  Islanders,  New  Zealanders.Tahitians,  Ra- 
rotongans,  Samoans,  and  the  natives  of  the  KingsmiU 
gi'oup,  in  a  very  short  time  are  able  to  converse  together; 
but  it  is  very  different  in  Melanesia. 

'A  comparison  of  dialects  already  acquired  discovers 
indeed  affinities  in  the  vocabularies  to  some  extent,  and 
in  the  general  structure  of  the  dialects  to  a  great  extent; 
and  it  is  quite  certain  that  one  t^-jie  of  language  prevails 
tlu-oughout  the  whole  Pacific.  But  the  dialects  of 
Melanesia  diverge  so  greatly  from  the  common  type,  and 
from  each  other,  that  each  dialect  forms  almost  a  sepa- 
rate study. 


42  WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


'  Neiirly  seventy  islands  have  been  visited  by  the 
Mission  vessel. 

'  Concerning  more  than  tliirty  of  these  islands  it  may 
be  said  confidently  that  each  possesses  its  own  dialect, 
and  that  on  many  of  these  islands  many  dialects  are 
spoken,  mntnally  unintelligible  to  tlie  inhabitants. 

'No  native  of  a  Melanesian  island  naturally  under- 
stands a  man  of  another  island,  nor  can  he  understand 
(in  many  cases)  inhabitants  of  his  own  island  liwug  out 
of  his  own  immediate  neighbourhood. 

'  The  natives  of  Nengone  and  Lifu  in  the  Loyalty 
Islands  speak  dialects  of  the  same  language ;  but  no 
Nengone  man  understands  a  Lifu  man,  unless  from 
some  caiise  or  other  he  has  made  himself  acquainted 
with  the  Lifti  dialect.  This  is  the  case  in  all  the 
islands  of  the  SW.  Pacific  Ocean,  of  which  we  have 
any  information.  With  this  great  diversity  of  dialects, 
a  great  diversity  of  manners,  superstitions,  and  cha- 
racter would  naturally  be  expected  ;  and  yet,  inasmuch 
as  all  these  dialects  are  really  parts  of  a  common  language, 
some  reference  in  all  their  various  superstitions  and 
customs  to  a  common  system  underlj-ing  all  would  pro- 
bably be  discovered.  We  can  already  see  good  reasons 
for  supposing  that  this  is  the  actual  state  of  the  case  ; 
but  not  to  such  an  extent  as  to  make  one  method  of 
treatment  applicable  to  all  the  islanders. 

'  This  is  the  explanation  of  the  plan  followed  by  the 
primate  of  New  Zealand.  As  he  obtained  an  accurate 
knowledge  of  the  character  of  the  work  entrusted  to 
him,  so  he  perceived  more  and  more  clearly  the  neces- 
sity of  carrying  on  the  instruction  of  the  islanders 
through  tlie  agency  of  native  teachers.  He  saw  that 
each  island  must  draw  upon  its  ovm  resources  as  soon  as 
possible,  and  that  young  men  from  many  islands  could 
be  educated  simultaneously  at  one  central  school,  if  they 
could  be  induced  to  attend  it. 

'It  has  been  foimd  that  there  is  not  very  much  diffi- 
culty in  obtaining  young  men  and  boys  from  many  of 
thase  islands.  There  is  oftentimes  a  considerable 
delay ;  but  generally  speaking  we  succeed  within  two 
or  three  years  from  the  time  of  our  first  visit  in 
bringing  away  some  one  or  other,  who  instantly  is 
converted  into  a  living  dictionary  and  grammar:  for 
when  once  we  can  talk  to  the  people,  the  first  gi-eat 
step  is  gained. 

'  By  paying  repeated  visits  to  the  islands,  endeavour- 
ing to  bring  away  the  same  scholars  year  after  year, 
and  by  maintaining  central  winter  schools  in  the 
islands,  so  that  the  teaching  may  not  be  interrupted, 
we  hope  to  educate  the  most  promising  young  men  in 
each  island  to  become  themselves  at  no  distant  day  the 
teachers  of  their  own  people. 

■  '  We  cannot  speak  with  certainty  on  this  point  as  yet. 
There  are  several  young  persons  with  us  now,  about 
whom  we  are  very  hopefid :  tliey  have  willingly 
returned  to  New  Zealand  for  several  summers,  and 
have  in  some  cases  left  their  own  islands  during  the 
winter  months,  in  order  to  live  at  the  winter  school 
held  on  a  neighbouring  island.  That  they  are  really 
in  earnest  we  have  every  reason  to  believe,  and  that 
they  are  likely  to  make  competent  teachers,  as  far  as 
their  capacity  and  knowledge  are  concerned,  we  have 
no  doubt ;  but  we  cannot  say  yet  tliat  they  have  been 
fully  tried :  the  plan  lias  not  been  worked  long  enougli  to 
produce  decided  results  as  yet :  it  seems  to  be  answering 
exceedingly  well. 

'What  has  taken  place  at  an  isLind  of  the  Banks' 
Archipelago  (named  by  Bligh  Sugarloaf  Island,  and 
by  the  inhabitants  Motu)  is  perhaps  a  fair  illustration 
of  the  working  of  our  plan. 

'  Some  nine  years  ago,  the  Bishop  of  New  Zealand  was 
sailing  out  of  the  great  bay  at  the  north  of  Espirito 
Santo,  a  large  island  at  the  NW.  of  the  New  Hebrides 
Islands.  He  saw  from  the  fore-3-artl  land  in  the  extreme 
distance.    No  land  was  laid  down  in  the  charts,  but 


Maech  2,  1863. 


he  was  convinced  that  he  was  not  deceived,  and  steering 
for  tliis  land  he  saw  gradually  the  whole  group  of  the 
Banks'  Islands,  one  by  one,  appear  above  the  horizon. 
In  the  newest  charts  thej'  are  still  laid  down  nearly 
one  degTee  of  longitude  to  the  east  of  their  real  position  ; 
and  Santa  Maria,  the  finest  and  most  populous  of  all, 
is  to  this  day  not  laid  down  at  all.  The  bishop  had 
no  communication  then  with  the  people  of  Mota :  he 
was  steering  through  the  group,  when  the  water  suddenly 
became  shallow,  and  the  bottom  of  broken  coral  was 
visible ;  and  he  was  only  too  glad  to  be  able  to  beat 
back  from  these  unknown  waters. 

'  His  visit  to  England,  and  other  circumstances,  pre- 
vented his  re-\-isiting  these  islands  xmtil  the  winter  of 
1856. 

'  On  that  occasion  no  landing  was  effected  at  Mota  ; 
the  naiTow  beach  (so  well  known  now)  was  crowdfxl 
with  men ;  we  counted  more  tlian  fifty  swimming 
round  our  boat ;  all  were  apparently  friendly,  but  the 
landing  was  difficult,  and  the  number  of  people  too 
great.  We  made  some  small  presents,  and  returned  to 
the  vessel,  and  sailed  away.  The  next  j'oar  the  bishop 
discovered  a  fine  harbour  in  the  neighbouring  island, 
called  Vanua  Lava.  Here  we  anchored  in  the  Southern 
Cross.  Several  young  men  were  inducexi  to  come  on 
board  the  vessel.  We  had  already  made  friends  witJi 
the  people  on  shore  before  we  brought  in  the  vessel. 
We  visited  the  neighbouring  islands,  and  again  sailed 
away.  But  the  next  year  two  yoimg  men  came  aw.ay 
with  us,  and  spent  the  winter  at  Lifu,  where  our 
school  was  for  the  time  carried  on. 

'  Their  report  of  us  when  they  returned  was  soon 
circulated  among  the  islands,  and  now  full  confidence 
seems  to  bo  established.  We  went  wliere  we  pleased, 
slept  ashore,  brought  away  scholars,  learned  the  lan- 
guage. Now  lads  from  aU  the  eight  islands  of  the 
group  have  been  with  us  in  New  Zealand ;  we  have 
spent  two  winters  at  Mota  ;  one  of  the  two  young  men 
who  first  came  away  •mth  us  to  Lifu  is  at  this  moment 
the  most  promising  scholar  in  our  Melanesian  school. 
We  must  not  say  too  much ;  but  in  these  three  years 
we  have  seen  great  changes.  No  man  on  Mota  walks 
about  now  with  bow  and  poisoned  arrows,  witliout 
which  they  scarcely  stirred  from  their  halts  a  few 
months  ago.  Men  who  had  never  walked  round  their 
own  small  island  till  within  the  last  two  years,  now  go 
about  freely  where  they  please.  Lads  from  six  or 
seven  different  villages  of  the  island,  and  even  from 
three  or  four  neighbouring  islands,  all  lived  together 
for  more  than  two  months  last  winter  at  oiu"  school — 
to  such  an  extent  has  their  mutual  distrust  of  each 
other  been  removed.  Our  daily  morning  and  evening 
prayers  were  attended  by  an  average  of  fifty  or  sixty 
people,  who,  indeed,  knew  very  little  of  the  meaning  of 
what  they  saw  and  heard,  but  whose  presence  indicated 
at  least  curiosity  and  friendliness  of  feeling.  No  one 
person  has  treated  us  unkindly. 

'  During  the  time  that  we  were  living  at  Mota,  we 
visited  in  our  boat  all  the  islands  of  the  Archipelago, 
with  the  exception  of  two  rather  more  distant  than  the 
rest.  These  two  are  only  thirty  miles  off  from  us,  but 
at  the  time  when  we  hoped  to  sail  and  row  across  to 
them,  sickness  among  our  party  made  it  impossible  to 
leave  the  island  of  Mota,  on  which  we  were  living. 

'All  these  islands  were  first  nsited  by  us  in  the 
schooner ;  but  we  have  seldom  time  then  to  remain  long 
on  shore  ;  and,  indeed,  in  these  introductory  visits  it  is 
not  wise  to  leave  the  beach  at  all.  But  in  these  boat- 
ing excursions  we  have  ample  leisure  to  feel  our  way 
among  the  natives  of  those  islands  with  which  we  have 
already  established  some  kind  of  connection,  and  in 
this  manner  we  have  walked  round  all  but  two  of  the 
islands  of  the  Banks'  Archipelago,  spending  several  days 
and  nights  among  the  people,  and  always  receiving 
kindly  treatment  from  them. 


March  2,  1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


43 


'  What  is  being  done  at  Mota,  might,  we  believe,  be 
done  also  in  many  other  parts  of  Melanesia.  There  are 
ialanch  in  the  New  Hebrides  gi-oup  and  in  the  Solomon 
Archipelago,  where  we  are  well  known,  and  where  we 
can  talk  to  the  people.  There  is  nothing  to  prevent  the 
introduction  of  such  a  winter  school  among  them  as 
already  exists  at  Mota,  but  the  want  of  funds  and  men. 
The  plan  is  applicable  to  twenty  islands  as  easily  as  to 
one,  and  it  seems  to  meet  every  requisition.' 


MICRONESIA. 

Thb  Micronesia  group  is  situated  on  either  side  of 
the  equator,  from  about  17o°  to  18 ')  °  E.  The  American 
Board  has  had  here  a  mission  for  eight  or  ten  years. 
It  is  a  branch  of  their  mi.ssion  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  the  language  being  nearly  related. 

In  1861  light  appeared  about  to  dawn,  but  the  sky 
has  become' again  overclouded.  The  Ecv.  Mr.  Bingham 
thus  writes : — 

'  But  you  would  know  respecting  the  interests  of 
Clirist's  kingdom  in  th<'se  far-off  isles  of  the  sea.  We 
could  hang  our  heads  in  shame,  and  cover  our  faces  in 
grief,  so  faint  are  evidences  that  our  labours  are  being 
blessed  to  the  spiritual  good  of  tliese  benighted  ones. 
We  might  almost  say  there  is  nothing  cheering.  Nearly 
all  is  dark  ;  the  first  beams  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness 
seem  not  yet  to  dawn  upon  us.  The  bright  sky,  under 
which  we  were  rejoicing  in  the  spring  of  1861,  has  been 
overcast.  Dark  clouds  have  rolled  up,  and  we  strive 
almo.st  in  vain  to  catch  some  faint  glimpse  of  the  ob- 
scured orb.  Were  not  the  promises  of  God  sure,  we 
cotdd  well  give  up  in  despair ;  but  these  promises  will 
not  f.ul.  Our  two  converts  have  gone  back  to  heathen- 
ism (I  do  not  know  that  particulars  here  are  essential) ; 
others  for  whom  we  entertained  great  hopes  have  grown 
cold,  and  there  is  not  a  native  of  Apaiang  or  Tarawa 
upon  whom  we  may  look  as  a  friend  of  Jesus.  The 
offer  of  salvation  is  treated  with  the  utmost  indifference, 
and  very  few  are  willing  to  attend  ujion  the  public 
worship  of  God.  The  king,  however,  has  been  quite 
regular,  although  his  progress  has  been  steadily  back- 
ward.' 

Mention  is  made  of  parties  who  had  fled  from  offended 
chiefs,  in  Tar.iwa  and  Marakei,  to  Apaiang,  exciting 
the  fears  of  tlie  king  and  people  lest  .so  large  an  accession 
to  the  population  of  that  little  island  shoiild  occasion 
famine.  After  much  talking,  on  tlie  20th  of  March  the 
king  started  for  Tarawa,  with  four  cannon  and  nearly 
all  the  people  of  Apaiang,  in  a  fleet  of  321  canoes,  fciking 
the  expatriated  Tarawans.  'I  myself,'  Mr.  Bingham 
writes,  'took  occasion  to  nsit  Taljiang,  with  Mrs.  B., 
to  inquire  after  the  welfare  of  our  brethren  and  sisters, 
and  to  hav(i  an  interview  with  the  king.  The  f'orm<>r 
we  found  well,  and  not  alarmed  at  the  war  aspect.  The 
latter  was  desirous  of  peace,  and  was  willing  to  invite 
home  the  parties  which  left  in  Febnuiry,  provided  tliere 
should  be  only  one  port  of  entiy,  otherwise  he  was  pre- 
pared for  war.'  These  persons  had  offended  by  patro- 
nising a  trading  vessel  fi-om  Sydney,  contrary  to  the 
king's  wishes.  Spending  the  Sabbath  at  BTiariki,  Mr. 
B.  .saw  little  to  i^ncourage,  and  returning  on  Monday  to 
Apaiang,  found  that  a  robljery  had  been  committed  on 
.  his  premises  the  first  night  of  his  absence,  and  Hint  the 
chapel  also  had  been  asrain  entered,  and  the  cloth  of  a 
cushion  can-ied  off.  He  had  before  had  occasion  to 
complain  to  the  king  of  abuse  of  the  place  of  worship; 
the  pulpit,  seats,  mats,  &c.,  being  shamefully  treated 
by  mischievous  natives. 

'  In  tninslating,  I  have  found  enough  to  do.  On  the 
28fh  of  Feliruary  last,  the  four  (iospels  and  Acts  had 
been  coinpleted,  and  now  await  the  printer ;  although 
I  am  still  labouring  to  improve  them  as  I  have  oppor- 


tunity. Mrs.  B.  has  been  giving  some  time  to  pre- 
paring such  Old  Testament  narratives  as  may  more 
especially  serve  to  elucidate!  the  allusions  in  the  New 
Testament.  I  trust  this  work  will  be  found  very 
useful  to  such  as  may  hereafter  be  found  desiroiLS  of 
reading  the  New  Testament  with  understanding,  when 
it  shall  be  put  into  their  hands.  Mrs.  B.  and  Kaholo 
have  generally  found  a  very  few  pupils  who  have  been 
willing  to  visit  them  at  the  mission  station  for  instruc- 
tion. Their  former  pupils  liave  almost  entirely  forsaken 
them,  and  none,  anywhere,  are  eager  for  instruction. 
At  Tarawa,  not  an  indi^ndual  has  yet  been  induced  to 
acquire  the  art  of  reading.  A  few  have  made  some 
progress  in  syllables,  but  our  feUow-labourers  there 
(Hawaian  helpers)  have  long  been  almost  entirely 
without  pupils,  and  thus  far  meet  with  very  little 
encouragement.  But  why  shoidd  any  of  us  be  dis- 
com-aged?  Did  not  the  English  missionaries  at  Tahiti 
wait  many  years  for  their  blessing  ?' 


SAMOA. 

We  have  been  favoured  with  a  fly-sheet  published 
in  Samoa,  which  gives  the  following  report  of  the 
stations:  — 

The  review  of  the  work  of  God  on  our  islands  for  the 
past  year  presents,  as  hitherto,  a  variety  of  aspects — 
some  cheering  and  some  dejiressing,  some  encouraging 
and  others  discouraging  ;  ljut,  on  the  whole,  it  calls  for 
devout  thanksgiring  that  there  arc  so  many  proofs  of 
real  progress,  notwithstanding  the  varied  form.s  of 
opposition  with  which  it  has  to  contend. 

On  the  island  of  Savaii  the  work  has  been  carried 
on  at  a  great  disadvantage,  as  regards  means  and 
superintendence,  owing  to  the  absence  of  Mr.  Pratt. 
The  teachers  report  tliat  they  continue  to  have  much 
encour.igement  in  their  work.  Schools,  classes,  and 
services  are  regulaily  conducted  as  usual ;  and  they  are 
cheered  not  only  by  the  attendancf^  of  the  peo])le  upon 
the  ordinances,  but  also  by  the  general  steadfastness 
of  the  members  of  the  church,  whose  number  may 
be  stated  at  550,  in  nine  churches,  with  twenty-five 
teachers  and  native  pastors;  and  schools  with  an 
attendance  of  1,000  scholars. 

The  district  inider  the  care  of  Mr.  Bird,  embracing 
the  half  of  the  island  on  the  southern  side,  has  thirty- 
two  villages,  each  provided  with  a  chapel  and  a  teacher, 
who,  in  addition  to  the  Sabbath  and  week-day  senices, 
regularly  conducts  schools  for  the  children  and  adidt 
population.    The  district  has  been  formed  into  nine 
churches,  with  a  membership  of  410.    Additions  to  the 
churches  during  the  p;ust  year  40.     Candidates  for 
church  fellowship  are  520.    The  number  of  .scholars 
in  the  schools,  adults  and  children,  are  2,902.  The 
district  named  Lefaasaleli'Mgn,  in  the  more  immediate 
neighboiu-hood  of  the  missionary's  residence,  comprises 
sixteen  villages,  ^vith  a  population  of  3,500.    The  other  I 
parts  of  the  district  form  outstations,  some  of  which  I 
are  at  a  great  distance,  and  of  difficult  access,  both  by  j 
sea  and  land.     The  missionary  visits  these  twice  a  ■ 
year.  I 

In  our  short  account  of  the  work  on  tho  island 
of  Upolu,  we  begin  ■with  the  district  under  the  care  of 
.Mr.  Gee,  on  the  novtii  side,  which  embraces  from 
Faleata,  in  thf;  west,  to  Fagaloa,  in  the  east.  Properly 
speaking,  it  contains  three  distinct  divisions,  formed 
into  three  churches  with  a  membership  of  840,  and 
th(?  candidates  for  church  fellowship  number  500.  The 
missionaiy  reports  a  cheering  amount  of  progress, 
especially  when  viewed  in  connection  with  the  various 
forms  of  o]iposition  witli  which  the  gospel  has  to  con- 
tend. The  principal  of  these  he  finds  in  the  very  strong 
hold  old  customs  have  upon  the  people,  and  the  active 


44 


WOEK  OF  THE  CHRISTLVN  CHURCH. 


March  2, 1863. 


opposition  of  the  agents  of  popery  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, who  are  not  over  scrupulous  as  to  the  means  they 
emplo}'  to  induce  people  to  join  their  party. 

At  Apia,  the  residence  of  the  missionary,  the  people 
have  had  to  lament  the  loss  of  their  large  chapel,  the  roof 
of  which  was  blown  down  in  one  of  our  late  gales  ;  but 

,   they  hope  soon  to  repair  the  damage,  and  again  have 

j  the  happiness  of  worshipping  within  its  walls.  Apia 
being  the  chief  resort  of  shipping,  and  the  place  where 
the  largest  number  of  foreign  residents  have  their 
abode,  services  are  regularly  conducted  in  the  English 
language,  in  the  neat  and  convenient  iron  chapel  pro- 
vided for  the  purpose. 

The  adjoining  district,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Drum- 
mond,  embraces  from  Aleipata,  at  the  weather  end  of 
the  island,  to  Safata,  about  its  centre,  on  the  south  side. 
The  district  comprehends  tliree  principal  divisions,  wth 
forty -three  villages,  in  each  of  which  there  is  a  chapel, 
with  II  teacher,  who,  as  in  all  our  other  districts,  in 
addition  to  the  usual  religious  services,  conducts  schools 
and  classes  for  children  and  adidts.  The  accessions  of 
new  members  to  the  churches  during  the  year  have 
been  283.  Deaths,  exclusions,  and  removals  number 
100.  The  present  number  of  church-members  is  978. 
Of  candidates  for  church  fellowship  there  are  555.  The 
attendance  of  scholars  in  the  43  schools  is,  boys,  573, 
girls,  008  ;  making  a  total  of  1,181. 

The  adjoining  district  extends  from  Lefaga,  at  the 
west  end  of  the  south  side  of  the  island,  to  Nofoalii,  on 
the  north  side.  It  embraces  the  greater  part  of  Aana, 
including  the  islands  of  Manono  and  Apolima.  This 
large  district  has  for  some  time  been  under  the  care  of 
Mr.  Ella,  who  has  felt  it  to  be  a  heavy  charge,  in  addi- 
tion to  his  labours  in  the  printing-oiRce.  The  district 
contiiins  twenty  %-illages,  each  with  its  chapel  and 
teacher,  day  and  sabbath-schooLs,  as  in  other  districts. 
There  are  four  churehe.s,  with  a  membership  of  557  ; 
and  the  candidates  for  church  fellowship  are  450. 
During  the  year,  155  members  have  been  added  to  the 
church.  Scholars  in  the  schools  average,  adults  and 
children,  1,200. 

During  the  year,  the  Press  has  been  kept  steadily  at 
work.  AVe  have  is.sued  12,000  copies  of  the  revised 
and  enlarged  Hymn-book,  1,200  of  the  Samoan  Ee- 
porter,  7,000  of  the  Doctrinal  Catechism,  with  the 
Scripture  proofs  printed  in  full ;  3,000  of  a  Calendar, 
and  3,000  of  a  list  of  the  missionary  contributions  in 
Samoa  for  the  year  ;  also  1,000  of  the  Samoan  Diction- 
ary, on  which  we  have  been  employed  for  some  months. 
There  have  also  been  printed  in  the  dialect  of  Nine, 
(Savage  Island),  4,000  of  the  Gospel  by  Mark  and  2,000 
of  the  Gospel  by  John ;  2,000  of  a  small  Hymn- 
book,  and  3,000  of  a  Doctrinal  Catechism.  There  is 
also  in  the  press  an  elementary  work  on  geograpliy  in 
Samoan,  of  which  3,000  copies  are  being  printed. 

The  district  which  completes  the  circuit  of  Upolu  is 
one  of  more  contracted  dimensions,  and  is  mider  the 

I  care  of  the  tutor  of  the  institution  for  native  teachers. 
It  embraces  part  of  Aana,  and  part  of  the  Tuamasaga, 
and  contains  eight  villages,  exclusive  of  the  one  formed 

I  by  the  institution.  As  in  the  other  districts,  these 
are  under  the  care  of  as  many  native  teachers,  whose 
duties  also  are  of  the  same  kind.  The  district  is  formed 
into  two  churches,  ^T^th  a  membership,  exclusive  of 
those  in  the  institution,  of  289.     Additions  to  the 


clnirch  since  January,  1861,  60.  Deaths,  exclusions,  and 
removals,  27.  Candidates  for  church-fellowship,  300. 
In  the  eight  schools,  the  attendance  of  scholars  averages 
about  450. 

The  duties  of  the  Institution  for  native  teachers  have 
been  superintended,  as  in  the  previous  year,  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Nisbet. 

The  complement  df  students  at  present  on  the  books 
of  the  institution  is  95  ;  8  of  whom  rank  in  the  youths' 
class,  and  87  are  preparing  for  the  office  of  teacher. 
The  wives  of  the  students  number  56,  who  are  more 
immediately  under  the  care  of  Mrs.  N. 

Since  .January,  1861,  17  students  have  been  ap- 
pointed to  the  care  of  villages ;  5  have  retired  on 
account  of  health,  and  4  on  account  of  family  circum- 
stances, &c.  Three  of  those  who  retired  have,  however, 
been  since  appointed  to  the  care  of  villages.  2  have  died, 
and  6  have  been  excluded.  Of  the  youths,  6  have  left, 
their  time  having  expired,  and  2  have  been  excluded. 

On  Upolu,  too,  we  have  had,  during  the  year,  some 
few  troubles  and  distiu-bances  among  the  people,  espe- 
cially a  quarrel  between  two  contiguous  lands  on  the 
south  side  of  the  island,  which  resulted  in  bloodshed 
on  both  sides.  But  the  affiiii-  seems  at  last  to  have  been 
made  up  again ;  and  at  present  we  are  enjoying  peace. 

From  Tuiiiila  we  have  had  no  definite  report.  We 
are  happy,  however,  in  being  able  to  record  the  termi- 
nation of  the  war  on  that  island,  which,  for  so  long  a 
time  has  disturbed  the  peace  of  the  people  there,  and 
stood  in  the  way  of  everything  which  is  good.  By 
latest  accounts,  the  people  appeared  to  be  settling  down 
to  the  more  peaceful  pursuits  of  domestic  industry,  and 
indications  were  not  wanting  of  a  wish,  on  the  part  of 
many,  to  attend  to  better  things. 

A  general  statement  of  the  statistics  of  our  mission 
will  stand  thus — which  may  be  taken  as  a  near  approx- 
imation to  the  truth :  church-members,  including  those 
in  the  Malua  Institution,4,200 ;  candidates  for  church- 
fellowship,  3,245  ;  teachers,  206 ;  scholars  in  the 
variouii  schools,  8,040. 

During  the  past  year,  the  Samoans  have  evinced 
their  usual  liberality  in  the  support  of  the  ordinances 
of  religion  among  themselves,  and  their  annual  contri- 
butions to  hi'lp  in  spreading  the  Gospel  tlu-oughout  the 
world.  Our  annual  missionary  meetings  were  well 
sustained  in  all  the  districts,  and  the  contributions 
generally  exceeded  that  of  former  years.  The  total 
amount  of  the  contributions  for  the  year  is,  in  cash, 
4,839  dollars,  or  £967  16s.,  and  in  oil,  1,355  gallons, 
which  may  reasonably  be  expected  to  realise  £90 ; 
making  a  total  of,  say  £1,058.  We  have  not  a  list  of 
all  the  contributions  in  money  and  property,  by  the 
several  villages  in  support  of  their  own  teachers,  but,  at 
a  moderate  calculation,  it  cannot  be  much  mider  £800. 
If  to  this  we  add  £200  expended  in  the  purchase  of 
books,  we  shaU  have  the  sum  of  upwards  of  ;S2,000 
expended  by  our  people  in  connection  with  the  work  of 
God.  But  they  do  not  only  contribute  of  their  pro- 
perty, tbey  give  themselves  also,  and  their  sons  and 
their  daughters,  to  the  work.  We  have  just  selected  six 
teachers  and  their  wives,  who  are  now  waiting  the 
return  of  the  John  Williams  from  the  east,  to  proceed 
on  the  arduous  and  perilous  enterprise  of  breaking  up 
the  fiillow  ground  on  some  of  the  savage  islands  of  the 
New  Hebrides. 


March  2,  1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CIIRISTLVN  CHURCH. 


45 


AFEICA. 


gi  §irb's-(EjTe  Wxtb  d  glissious  m  gifrita* 

Africa  may  be  said  to  be  the  most  recent  field  of 
missionary  operations.  Though  it  is  long  since  the 
first  missions  were  planted  on  its  southern  and  western 
borders,  yet  till  within  recent  years  no  attempt  has 
been  made  to  search  its  entire  coasts,  much  less  to  pene- 
trate far  into  the  interior.  An  approximate  sun  ey  of 
the  present  advance  of  missionary  effort  is  given  in  the 
following  paper. 

Beginning  with  West  Africa,  we  find  that  the  worst 
abominations  of  heathenism  still  run  riot  in  vast  terri- 
tories. The  sacrifice  of  human  life  continues.  In  the 
town  of  CoomassieWest  saw  men  and  women  sacrificed 
to  celebrate  the  funerals  of  the  rich  ;  the  description 
of  an  execution  by  cruel  tortures  that  took  place  in  a 
street  bearing  the  name  of  '  Never-dry-from-blood,'  is 
horrible  beyond  conception. 

The  latest  reports  from  Dahomey  are  still  more 
heart-rending. 

Sierra  Leone  lies  before  us  in  brighter  light,  though 
it  shines  upon  many  graves.  The  work  of  God  had 
oven  in  1853  become  so  strong  that  a  bishop  was 
appointed  for  this  colony  in  England.  He  and  three 
of  his  successors  have  already  fallen  victims  to  the 
fatal  climate,  and  a  fifth  has  recently  landed  on  the 
same  shores. 

How  noble  Bowen  wondered  when  ho  arrived  in 
1857,  at  tlie  stately  chui'ches  and  glebes,  and, at  tin? 
rush  of  the  Negroes  to  church  and  school.  Half  of 
tlio  preachers  and  the  Christians  of  the  different  Evan- 
gelical churches  were  Negroes  ;  10,685  Metliodists,  and 
2,187  Free  Methodists,  with  aliout  24,000  Episcoijalians 
were  united  like  brothers.  The  colony  can  now  be 
hardly  called  a  mission,  but  a  church,  and  a  living  one. 

Tlie  congregations  evince  great  zeal  in  repairing  the 
churches  and  in  collecting  the  stipends  for  their  mi- 
nisters (amounting  to  1,000^.  annually) ;  the  schools, 
high  as  well  as  low,  enjoy  the  same  improvement. 

The  (American)  colony  Lilieria  has  nearly  worked 
its  way  to  the  same  height.  Even  in  the  year  1854,  u 
foi'eign  bishop  said  with  truth,  '  I  have  never  seen 
people  with  such  a  love  for  order ;  no  rude  language  is 
to  bo  heard  hen;.  The  Sabbath  is  kept  strictly,  and 
the  churches  are  filled  with  attentive  listeners.' 

Here  also,  as  at  the  Mission  of  Cape  Palnias,  the 
congregations  have  advanced  considerably  in  indepen- 
dence of  foreign  preacliors  ;  young  congregations  will 
therefore  bo  less  likely  to  suffer  from  a  change  of 
pastor,  in  consequence  of  the  climate. 

Liberia,  it  is  known,  is  an  institution  of  American 
free  Negroes,  who  organised  themselves  into  a  republic 
in  1847,  and  now,  16,000  in  number,  exercise  a  Chris- 
tian influence  over  480,000  natives  who  are  scattered 
along  a  nai-row  shore  of  about  250  leagues  in  extent. 
Bi.shop  Payne  held  the  first  synod  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  in  April  1862,  and  reorganised  the  Church 
tlirough  the  whole  colony.  Bishop  Burns  in  the  same 
way  exercises  a  particular  care  over  1,400  members  nf  llie 
Methodist  Chm-ch.  A  college,  in  charge  of  the  I'resby- 
terian.s,  educates  the  future  officers  of  State,  as  well  as 
an  increasing  number  of  efficient  preachers.  American 
Lutherans  al.M)  take  part  (1860)  in  the  great  work,  and 
are  admitted  more  especially  among  the  Congo  Negro<'s 
that  are  flocking  in.  This  fn>e  state,  formed  in  such  a 
peculiarmanneraccordinnto  the  American  code,  retains 
somedegreeof  uneoutlnifss,  as  (lie  majority  of  the  popu- 
lation consi.sts  of  ignorant  lieathens.    Tiio  visible  pro- 

•  We  are  indebted  for  this  paper  to  the  Basle  Misslonarv 
Society.— Ay. 


gress  is  on  that  account  the  more  praiseworthy,  and 
as  cost  but  little  in  comparison  with  Sierra  L(!one. 

We  can  only  briefly  mention  that  the  Methodist 
Mission  at  the  Gambia  (with  813  Church  members), 
are  about  to  be  joined  hy  a  French  Mission  at  the 
Senegal  in  the  north,  under  the  protection  of  a  governor 
with  truly  evangelical  principles,  and  that  the  work  on 
the  River  Pongas  in  the  south,  carried  on  by  Church 
missionaries  from  Barbadoes  (320  Church  members)  is 
spreading,  in  spit  o  of  many  sacrifices. 

The  Mission  of  Basle  at  the  Gold  Coast,  commenced 
n  1829,  lost  twelve  labourers  by  death  in  a  short 
time,  after  which  the  suin'i\'ing  missionary  Eies  renewed 
the  mission  in  the  year  1844  on  a  fresh  foundation. 
There  have  indeed  been  numerous  victims  since, 
but  the  six  stations  contain  now  over  750  Chris- 
tians. Besides  three  establislmients  for  the  education 
of  the  young,  there  is  now  also  a  seminary  for  catechist.s, 
where  20  (now  30)  young  Christians  are  trained  for  the 
ministry.  In  addition  to  tliis,  trades  are  taught  to  the 
indolent  Negroes.  The  work  has  advanced  from 
six  to  seven  days'  journey  into  the  interior. 

The  Bremen  Mission,  situated  east  of  the  Eiver 
Volta,  boldly  carries  on  its  conquests  from  five  stations ; 
they  are  afraid  of  nothing,  not  even  to  settle  among 
cannibals.  This  mission  also  is  constantly  tried  by 
sacrifices  of  precious  human  life,  and  is  continually 
tlireatened  by  the  whims  of  the  chiefs  and  the  fury  of 
the  fetish  priests  ;  but  it  do  not  suffer  in  vain.  The 
earthquake  was  interpreted  in  various  ways  there ;  in 
one  \'illage  it  led  to  the  discontinuance  of  work  on 
Sunday,  and  to  a  petition  for  regular  divine  serrice. 
Badagry  and  Lagos  have  been  long  ago  cleared 
from  the  slave-trade,  which  is  now  only  carried  on  by  a 
Brazilian,  at  Wliydah,  the  harbour  of  Dahomey,  while 
the  conquest  of  Porto  Novo  (1861)  and  the  occupation 
of  Lagos  by  the  English,  have  opened  a  new  door  to  the 
mission  there. 

Behind  this  slave-coast,  which  almost  no  longer  do- 
serves  the  name,  the  blessed  land  of  Yoruba  is  situated. 
There,  in  Abeokuta,  they  kept  joj-ful  Bible  festivals  in 
1859,  and  Scripture  readers  were  sent  among  the 
heathens  and  Mohammedans  of  the  neighbourhood. 
The  seminary  educates  teachers ;  a  periodical,  the  Iwc 
Irohin  (Morning  Star),  has  an  influence  on  public  opi- 
nion, and  civilisation  advances  with  Clu-istianitj'.  The 
desolate  land  is  now  covered  hy  cotton  plantations, 
which  increase  the  value  of  labour,  that  once  was  but 
of  little  worth.  The  inhaljitants  perceive  this,  and, 
like  the  King  of  Ketu,  ask  for  more  missions,  that  they 
may  obtain  the  same  blessing. 

The  Mission  of  the  Niger,  renewed  in  the  year  1867, 
by  raising  the  stations  Gbeba  and  Onitsha,  '  is  now 
occupied  by  ten  native  labourers  ;  they  are  commended 
to  the  fervent  prayers  of  Christians,  as  they  aro  much 
thrcaten(^d  by  the  enemy  since  they  instituted  a  new 
station,  Akassa,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Nun.' 

The  chiefs  tliat  were  favourable  to  the  Clmstians 
have,  it  appear.s,  been  remov(>d  by  ]x)ison. 

In  Calabar  the  Scottish  missionaries  continue  to 
hold  a  difficult  position.  Tlie  young  King  Eyo  lias 
disappointed  the  hopes  that  wore  entertained  of  him 
(he  died  in  May  1861  in  consequence  of  excesses, 
we  may  liope  repenting) ;  and  among  others,  wlio  have 
l)een  lia[ili7,e<l,  there  occur  now  and  then  painful  back- 
slidings.  But  tlie  terrible  system  of  punishment  by 
substitute,  according  to  wliich  every  person  of  r.iuk 
might  atone  for  murder  by  the  execution  of  his  slave,  is 
abolislu'd,  and  t  win-chiklrcn  aro  at  last  allowed  to  live. 

'Tiie  expulsion  of  the  Baptists  from  the  island  of 
i  Fcrnaudo  Po  by  the  Spanish  Government  has  led  to 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIiVN  CHURCH. 


MA.ECH  2,  1863. 


the  institution  of  a  new  station,  "Victoria,"  near  the 
high  Cameroon  mountain  (1858),  where  a  part  of  the 
converted  hare  taken  up  their  abode.  From  thence  the 
missionaries  have  made  journeys  into  the  interior,  and 
discovered  towns,  which  cannot  be  traversed  in  a  day's 
traveL'  For  the  losses  occasioned  to  the  mission  by 
Spanish  intolerance,  they  have  at  last  received  com- 
pensation to  the  amomit  of  gl,500. 

'  Opposite  the  island  of  St.  Thomas,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Gaboon,  the  Americans  have  a  mission,  which  is 
progressing  notwithstanding  the  fatal  climate.'  Even  if 
poor  King  Glasz,  notwithstanding  his  eapabUity  of 
repeating  whole  sermons  by  heart,  has  died  micon verted 
(1861),  many  troubled  souls  are  coming  now  unexpec- 
tedly to  seek  admission  to  the  instruction  for  baptism. 

In  the  Presbyterian  Mission  on  the  island  of  Coris- 
ko  there  is  a  still  more  active  spirit  at  work,  among  the 
pupils  of  their  efficient  schools.  After  their  conversion 
and  education,  these  pupils  are  sent  across  to  the 
continent  to  foxmd  new  stations. 

'  In  South  Africa  we  meet  the  stations  of  the  Barmen 
missionaries,  who  had  to  encounter  so  many  diffi- 
culties in  Damara  that  they  resolved  not  to  send  any 
more  European  missionaries  there,  whUe  they  M'ere 
only  permitted  to  see  very  feeble  results  in  the  barren 
district  of  Namaqua.'  But  since  tlie  remarkable  chief, 
Jouker,  who  fir.st  was  a  friend  and  afterwards  an  enemy 
of  the  missionaries,  died,  satiated  with  the  glory  of  war 
(1861),  the  stations  in  this  place  also  eviuee  a  better 
praspect  of  success. 

'  The  great  colony  at  the  Cape,  lying  before  us,  so 
richly  supplied  with  missions  of  difierent  churches  and 
societies,  we  cannot  describe  better  than  as  the  mighty 
land  that  has  now  become  a  decidedly  Christian 
country.' 

'A  revival  among  the  Dutch  farmers,  in  particular, 
lias  had  most  blessed  effijcts.  Their  church,  hitherto 
so  conservative  and  inactive,  has  roused  itself  to  mis- 
sionary duty,  and  begins  to  show  the  effi;ct  in  the  two 
free  states  in  the  north  of  Orange.  The  president  of 
the  free  state  of  Orange  attended  in  person  a  mission 
conference  of  the  several  churches  that  had  been  drawn 
closer  by  the  revival,  and  confessed  on  that  occasion 
that  he  had  formerly  considered  the  mission  at  least 
"  unnecessary,"  but  tliat  he  now  offi'red  them  lands,  and 
every  assistance  in  his  power,  with  joy.  The  whole 
significance  of  this  change  wiU  be  fully  understood, 
when  we  read  in  the  report  of  the  Alliance  that  this 
very  president,  as  late  as  1861,  could  be  called,  with 
justice,  "  the  decided  enemy  of  all  English  doings  in 
politics  and  religion."  He  refused  for  a  long  time  to 
let  Moffiit  the  missionary  pass  through  to  the  north. 
How  much  the  Paris  stations  had  to  suffer  during  his 
last  war  against  Moshesli!  It  clearly  illustrates  to 
what  a  degree  the  people  of  Boshuana  liave  been 
changed  by  the  gospel.  Then,  wliat  a  contrjist  between 
a  Basuto  camp  at  the  arriv:d  of  tlic  French  mission- 
aries, and  a  half-Christianised  Basuto  village  in  tlie 
year  1859  1' 

'Several  tribes  of  the  Caflfres,  as  is  known,  were 
led  by  a  false  prophet  (1866)  to  kill  all  their  cattle, 
in  the  hope  of  giving  the  course  of  the  universe  a 
different  direction — to  liring  about  the  expulsion  of 
the  whites,  and  restore  the  dominion  of  the  blacks  in 
the  countiy.  Nothing,  however,  followed  but  a  teiTible 
famine,  which  compelled  them  to  scatter  about  the 
colony  and  beg.  The  noble  Sir  George  Grey  supplied 
them  witli  bread  and  work,  ordered  huts  to  be  erected 
for  their  use,  and  caused  tliem  to  be  instructed  in  the 
Christian  religion.  Thus  tlie  plan  for  the  banishment 
of  the  whites  was  the  means  of  gi\'ing  to  the  blacks  the 
gospel,  which  they  had  received  with  such  indiffiTcnce 
in  their  own  country.' 

'  Many  Cafires  have  been  won  over  here  and  there  ; 
but  for  the  great  country  of  the  Zulu-Ca£fres  the  right 


hour  appears  to  have  not  yet  approached.  The  mis- 
sionaries from  Hermannsburg  and  Norway,  as  well  as 
the  Engbsh  and  Americans,  agree  that  we  must  wait 
patiently  for  the  new  birth  of  this  talented  nation,  but 
that  the  friuts  already  ripened  afford  a  siu-e  foretaste  of 
a  fine  harvest  in  future.' 

In  consequence  of  Livingstone's  discoveries,  throe 
missions  have  been  formed  for  the  interior  of  South 
Africa.  First,  London  sent  (1858)  Helmore,  Price,  and 
others,  to  the  Makololos,  on  the  Zambezi  ;  then  the  older 
Moffiit  used  his  influence  vnth  the  King  of  the  Matebeles 
to  introduce  missionaries — his  own  son  was  one  of 
them.  The  former  mission  was  frustrated  in  a  painful 
manner.  '  Helmore  and  the  mothers  with  several 
children,  were  snatched  away  ])y  fever  in  1860.  Price, 
on  his  way  home  with  the  little  ones,  was  plundered  by 
the  King  of  the  Macololos.  Tlie  grey-headed  despot  of 
the  Matabeles,  on  the  conti-arj',  received  the  missionaries 
kindly,  and  allowed  them  to  preach  without  restraint  to 
all  his  people.  The  king  is  probably  near  lus  end,  but 
the  missionaries  hope  the  best  from  the  heir-presump- 
tive to  the  crown.  Missionary  Price  has  also,  with  a 
yoTinger  fellow-labourer,  again  arrived  in  Kuriunan,  the 
station  of  the  much-tried,  but  cver-hopefid,  Moffiit,  to 
foimd  a  new  mission  in  the  interior.  Not  far  from 
theZamb(^zi  the  missionaries  of  two  English  universities 
have  established  a  mission,  under  the  guidance  of  Dr. 
Livingstone.'  This  Mission  has  already  overcome  its 
first  trials.  They  have  had  more  than  one  collision 
with  the  slave-merchants  of  the  Portuguese  district 
Mozambik,  and  were  compeUod  to  make  Tise  of  arms  ; 
the  necessity  of  tliis  measure,  in  the  strictest  sense, 
has,  however,  not  been  proved.  The  bishop  of  the 
missiofl,  Mackenzie,  collected  for  the  first  beginning 
a  congregation  of  160  persons,  chiefly  cliildren,  either 
left  behind  by  or  taken  from  the  slave-traders.  Bishop 
Mackenzie  is  already  dead,  and  a  new  bishop,  Tozer,  has 
been  appointed,  with  two  missionaries,  to  strengthen 
the  mission.  We  see,  by  the  beginnings  of  the  mission 
in  the  interior  of  South  Africa,  how  much  patience  the 
Lord  requires  from  his  children,  before  He  bids  them 
enter  on  a  joj-ful  h:irvest. 

How  little  could  be  said  even  last  year,  '  about  the 
beautiful  and  happy  island  of  Madagascar,'  where, 
under  constant  persecutions,  the  spirit  of  the  martjTS 
of  old  had  been  shown  forth  in  all  its  glory,  and  where 
the  number  of  believers  has  increased  to  5,000 !  The 
time  seems  to  have  come  when  the  gospel  is  to  have 
free  course  again.  The  old  blood-stained  Queen  is 
dead.  Her  son  has  succeeded  to  the  throne.  The 
religious  services  at  his  coronation  were  con<lucted  by 
the  London  missionary  and  the  native  pastor.  Me- 
morial cliurches  are  to  be  immediately  built  on  the 
martyr  sites,  and  the  Bishop  of  Mam-itius  has  made 
arrangements  for  a  joint  mission  of  the  Church  of 
England.  The  Roman  Catholics  complain  that  it  is 
easier  to  cut  the  rocks  with  a  razor,  than  persuade  the 
people  to  tluar  faith. 

Close  to  Madagascar  lies  the  island  of  Mauritius 
with  its  300,000"inhabitants,  200,000  of  whom  are 
Hindoos  introduced  into  the  sugar  plantations,  and 
who  form  the  chief  part  of  the  population.  Among 
them  in  particular  the  mission  is  making  considerable 
progress.  Delivcrtid  from  the  thousand  bpnds  that 
fetter  them  at  home  to  heathendom,  they  hear  the 
gospel  here  from  missionaries  out  of  South  India  and 
Bengal,  and  carry  back  to  their  native  land  the  pearl  of 
price,  to  work  there  as  teachers  of  the  gospel  among 
their  races  and  families. 

'Missionary  Rebmann  stands  as  yet  alone  on  the 
east  coast  of  Africa ;  but  he  will  be  strengthened,  and 
his  work  among  the  Wanikas  seems  at  last  to  have  had 
a  cheering  impulse.'  Ho  has  only  received  one  aux- 
iliary, and  his  firstlings,  six  baptized  Wanikas,  rejoiced 
the  heart  of  missionaiy  Krapf,  when  in  the  beginning 


March  2,  1863. 


47 


of  last  year  he  visited  RaLbai  Mpia  again  after  ten 
years'  absence.  What  a  different  appearance  ererytliing 
had  then  from  1857,  when  the  depredatory  Masai  deso- 
lated the  whole  country  and  forced  the  missionary  to 
take  flight !  The  hea%-y  trial  has  done  its  work,  and 
made  the  hardhearted  Wanikas  at  last  more  favourably 
diaposed  to  receive  Christianity.  M.  Krapf,  accom- 
panied by  two  English  Methodist  missionaries,  and 
two  German  brothers  from  St.  Crischona,  made  a 
tour  of  investigation  in  the  year  1861  in  those  parts, 
and  tried  to  form  two  stations.  He  found  the  pro- 
vince of  Usambara  closed  up  against  him  on  account  of 
a,  civil  war.  Three  of  his  young  companions  were 
taken  ill,  and  had  to  seek  medical  assistance  in  the 
large  Catholic  hospital  at  Zanzibar.  One  of  the 
Englishmen  was  driven  back  to  Europe  by  serious 
illness,  the  t^ro  brothers  from  Crischona  by  dis- 
couragement. Only  one  remained  in  Africa,  and  has 
now  found  a  station  some  distance  from  Morubas, 
where  he  hopes  to  be  enabled  to  work  with  a  blessing. 
Krapf  himself  could  not  carry  out  his  plan,  to  return 
I  through  the  interior  of  Africa,  on  account  of  the  ci^'il 
war,  and  arrived  in  Wiirtemberg  in  November. 

The  attempt  made  by  the  members  of  St.  Crischona 
to  found  a  Mission  in  Abyssinia  luider  the  guidance 
of  Bishop  Gobat,  remains  yet  to  Ijc  mentioned.  They 
were  well  received  by  King  Theodorus,  though  he 
would  have  preferred  using  them  as  mechanics  and 
tradesmen,  for  his  own  purposes.  They  have  a  difficult 
position,  in  the  midst  of  Cliristianity  that  has  died 
away,  and  under  a  whimsical  despot.  Notwithstanding, 
the  Lord  has  allowed  them  to  see  some  fruits  of  their 
work,  not  mt^rely  among  the  young  whom  they  teach, 
but  also  among  the  adults  ;  of  the  latter  is  Chancellor 
Dobtera  Sauab,  described  as  an  intelh^ctual  man,  who 
holds  prayer  meetings  with  his  soldiers,  and  bears 
witness  to  Clu'ist  everywhere. 

Particular  interest  has  been  excited  by  the  result  of 
a  mission,  which  has  been  sent  tothe  Jews  of  Abyssinia, 
the  Fahischas  (in  1860),  and  not  only  occasioned  a 
I  general  search  into  the  holy  scriptures,  but  led  to  a 
number  of  conversions  of  tliese  lost  children  of  Israel. 
The  fifty-third  chapter  of  Isaiah  has  there  shown  its 
ancient  jjower.  It  is  unfortunate  that  they  must  be 
received  by  baptism  into  tlie  paganised  Church  of 
Abyssinia,  which  is  certamly  not  superior  in  moral 
conduct  to  these  remains  of  Israel.  But  perhaps  new 
Tigour  is  to  be  engi-afled  into  it  hy  this  fresh  element. 

Much  else  is  being  done  in  Africa  to  gathering  the 
true  Israel  out  of  the  worldly. 

In  Algiers  (at  Oran  and  Constantine),  the  Bible 
finds  more  and  more  an  entrance  among  the  Jews, 
and  reaches  the  Mahomedans  as  well  as  the  Kabylie 
people  of  Cabes,  whose  traditions  say  tliat  they 
have  once  been  Cliristians,  and  must  in  course  of  time 
become  Christians  again  ;  while  the  Jews  of  Sahara,  on 
account  of  their  dislike  of  traditions,  are  not  so  much 
opposed  to  the  gospel  as  those  who  have  had  a 
pharisaie;d  training.  Ip  Tunis  also,  the  young  at  least 
are  fond  of  reading  the  gospel.  Finally  in  Egypt,  the 
missionaries  are  labouring  with  diligence  in  se\-eral 
places.  The  Copts,  formerly  as  d(^ad  as  the  people  of 
Abyssiniii,  seem  to  awaken  to  new  lif(!  by  tlie  use  of 
the  holy  scriptures  ;  and  the  mission  of  the  American 
Presbj-lerians  finds  free  entrance  into  many  of  their 
churches.  The  tolerant  Pasha  (now  dead,  1863)  also 
afforded  his  aid ;  ho  gave  an  impr(!ssivo  lesson  to  a 
fanatic  Mussulman  who  wished  (o  prevent  a  Capt  by 
rude  force  from  leanug  Islamism,  which  he  had  been 
forced  to  adopt. 

Last  year  he  made  over  buildings  to  the  value  of 
100,000  florins  to  the  mission,  and  afterwards,  to  give  a 
pi-oof  of  bis  imi)artiality,  he  conferred  a  similar  favour 
on  the  French  priests. 

Thus  we  may  be  permitted  to  glance  up  the  Nile 


with  hopeful  prayer.  Along  its  shores,  side  by  side 
with  travellers  in  quest  of  discoveries,  and  hosts  of 
Franciscan  monks,  the  messengers  of  the  gospel  advance 
with  undiminished  zeal  into  the  interior  of  this  vast 
continent,  to  make  the  nations  of  Ham  acquainted  with 
tliat  Name,  in  which  alone  there  is  salvation  for  the 
black  man  as  well  as  the  wliite. 


ALGEEIA. 

As  a  general  rule,  our  Protestant  religious  periodicals 
take  very  little   notice  of  the  French  Churches  in  ' 
Algeria,  and,  indeed,  information  concerning  them  is 
somewhat  difficidt  to  obtain.     The  fact  is,  that  the 
Algerian  pastors,  and  the  various  other  servants  of  God 
who  labour  in  the  midst  of  this  great  F'rench  colony, 
liave  too  much  work  to  do,  if  thoroughly  in  earnest,  to 
find  time  for  -writing  off  details  of  their  activity  to  the 
world  without.    If,  however,  they  are  sowing  the  fruits 
of  righteousness  very  quietly  and  silently,  we  are  by  no  j 
means  to  suppose  that  their  efforts  have  not  been  | 
blessed,  and  are  not  being  blessed  stiU  by  God.  On  the  I 
contrary,  in  many  portions  of  the  vast  territory  in  the  j 
north  of  Africa,  divinely  assigned  them  as  the  sphere  of  ' 
tlieir  laboiu-s,  an  amoimt  of  progress  has  been  made,  ] 
and  continues  to  be  made,  which  may  well  rejoice  aH 
Christian  hearts.     I  will  endeavour  in  my  present 
communication  to  make  iip  in  some  measure  for  their 
silence,  by  sending  j'ou  a  summary  of  certain  facts 
connected  with  tlicir  mission,  which  have  recently  come 
under  my  knowledge. 

And  first  of  all  I  must  say  a  few  words  about  their 
efforts  to  diffiise  the  advantages  of  education  and  the 
love  of  reading  in  these  parishes  by  the  establishment 
of  schools  and  of  popular  libraries,  whenever  this  comes 
wdthin  their  power. 

They  are  more  and  more  convinced  that  in  Algeria — 
as  indeed  everywhere  else — but  preeminently  in  Algeria, 
ignorance  is  the  great  obstacle  to  the  general  evan- 
gelisation of  the  country ;  ignorance,  parent  of 
superstition,  and  often  of  unbelief.  Now,  the  gospel 
loves  the  light,  and  its  doctrines  do  not  shrink  from 
the  fullest  and  most  rigorous  examination.  It  is  to 
dissipate  this  ignorance,  tlierefore,  to  break  up  and 
clear  the  ground  in  which  they  are  to  sow  the  divine 
seed  that  all  their  efforts  tend  ;  and  we  may  fairly  say 
that  if  they  have  not  as  yet  in  all  .cases  satisfied  this, 
their  legitimate  ambition,  tliey  have  already  brought 
about  sundry  results  of  a  verj'  satisfactory  nature,  and 
that  wherever  they  arc  they  shed  some  light  around. 
Without  speaking  of  Algiers  itself,  which  is  the  most 
privileged  spot  in  the  country,  there  are,  at  the  present 
time,  schools  in  almost  every  province,  and  not  only 
schools,  but  parochial  libraries  as  well,  accessible  to  all 
who  seek  to  share  in  their  benefits.  At  Constantine 
the  success  of  pastoral  efforts  in  this  direction  has 
been  such  tliat  it  has  recently  been  found  necessary  to 
establish  a  second  evangelical  library  and  a  third 
parochial  school,  and  this  seliool  and  library  have  been 
specially  mentioned  by  a  newspaper  published  in  the 
town,  and  so  the  public  attention  has  been  drawn  to- 
wards them. 

The  fact  is  that  our  brethren  in  the  course  of  their 
labours  meet  occasionally  with  unexpected  and  con- 
genial auxiliaries  amongst  the  intelligent  and  cultivated 
chisses.  I  have  mentioned  the  Constantino  newspaper, 
and  I  ought  also  to  name  both  the  Set/bousr  of  Bone,  and 
the  licview  of  the  Colonial  World,  with  like  apprecia- 
tion. 

The  Indffertdent — such  is  the  name  of  the  Constan- 
tine journal  above  referred  to — published  some  time 
back  an  article,  in  which,  after  noticing  the  progress  in 
civilisation,  and  the  various  benefits  that  schools  and 


48 


WORK  OF  THE  CHEISTLIN  CHURCH. 


Makch  2,  1863. 


libraries  bring  about  -nlierever  they  are  established — 
at  Sierra  Leone,  Liberia,  Yoruba,  the  Cape,  Natal,  the 
Maui-itius,  in  Central  Africa,  where  they  mark  the 
tracks  of  such  men  as  Moffiit  and  I;iving>tone ;  in 
India  ;  amongst  the  Esquimaux  ;  in  the  islands  of  the 
Pacific  ;  in  Australia ;  and  concluded  its  enumeration 
by  the  foUoM-ing  emphatic  appeal :  '  May  the  spectacle 
of  this  onward  movement — this  progressive  tendency — 
excite  around  a  healthy  emulation  !  May  it  be  ours 
thorouglily  to  understand  botli  the  causes  whicli  brought 
about  the  ruin  of  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  colonies, 
and  the  principles  which  have  produced  the  general 
prosperity  of  all  colonies  founded  by  England,  Holland, 
and  America.  In  making  the  tour  of  the  globe,  we 
have  foimd  that  no  colony  can  be  prosperous  and 
powerful,  unless  it  adopts  without  reservation  the  prin- 
ciples of  liberty  and  of  universiil  education.' 

Sometimes,  in  order  to  bring  about  the  one  great 
and  sacred  aim,  ingenious  indirect  methods  are  em- 
ployed, which  perhaps  have  proved  among  the  most 
successful.  Here,  for  instance,  is  part  of  a  letter 
written  not  long  since  by  one  of  our  bretliren  to  his 
friends  in  France:  'I  have  discovered  a  very  simple 
way  of  circxdating  an  excellent  book,  and  at  the  same 
time  affording  a  means  of  subsistence  to  a  family  in 
want.  At  the  hospital  I  met  a  former  gendarme,  who 
had  lost  liis  left  hand  by  the  bursting  of  his  gun  a  few 
chiys  after  obtaining  employment.  In  lieu  of  mere 
beggaij  I  was  able  to  provide  him  with  a  regular  and 
honoiu-able  employment.  Follo^^^ng  my  advice,  he 
went  to  the  mayor  of  the  town,  showed  him  his  muti- 
lated hand,  and  a  stamped  Almanack  de  Buns  Cunscils, 
and  at  once  obtained  a  viTitten  permission  to  hawk  this 
book  about.  I  procured  for  him  500  of  these  Alma- 
nacks, at  ten  centimes  a  piece.  He  succeeded  in  sell- 
ing fifty  of  them  daily,  at  twenty-five  Centimes  each 
— whether  from  the  popularity  of  the  Almanack  itself, 
or  from  the  general  sympathy  felt  for  the  distressed 
father  of  a  family.  As  almanacks  are  rare  things  in 
Algeria,  he  will  be  able  to  continue  his  rounds  through- 
out the  winter,  selling  books  and  getting  subscriptions 
to  the  periodical  Annie  de  la  Jeunesse.'* 

Pastor  Ginsburg,  of  Constantine,  has  materially  con- 
txibuted  to  the  Municipal  Library  of  the  place  (which 
is  distinct  from  two  others,  the  Parochial  Library  and 
that  of  the  Evangelical  Church),  by  bestowing  upon  it 
copies  of  the  Bible  in  eight  languages,  and  of  the  New 
Testament  in  ten,  in  addition  to  twenty  of  the  standard 
works  published  by  the  Religious  Book  Society  of 
Toidouse. 

In  most  of  the  Algerian  localities  gambling  and 
drunkenness  lamentably  prevail.  The  little  rod  pipes 
made  for  the  smoking  of  opium  (hashish)  are  publicly 
sold  to  Europeans.  The  natives  on  their  side  are 
attracted  by  the  sight  of  the  trader  or  the  Maltese 
cross  into  the  taverns  of  the  'mercantis  roumis,'  where, 
under  the  name  of  abscinthe,  the  most  poisonous  com- 
pounds are,  alas,  sold  to  them.  In  sight  of  such  demo- 
ralisation no  true  friend  of  humanity  or  man  of 
enlightened  mind  can  fail  to  rejoice  in  the  efforts  made 
by  Christians  to  drive  off  the  impure  miasma  of  igno- 
rance and  to  introduce  healthy  nu'utal  food. 

Of  late  years  singular  facilities  have  been  afforded  it 
by  the  number  of  new  roads  which  the  French  Govern- 
ment undertakes  to  open.  For  in.stance,  since  the 
'  Carossa  el  Schistan,'  or  de^^^s  carriage  (such  being 
i  the  pictiu-esque  and  significant  name,  bestowed  by  the 
Arabs  upon  Eailway  locomotives)  has  begun  rapidly 
to  traverse  the  plain  of  Mitidja,  the  Algerian  Pastors 
are  able  more  easily,  and  therefore  more  frequently,  to 
visit  the  different  \-illages  in  their  extensive  parishes, 
which  often  stretch  from  the  region  of  the  Sahel  to  the 

*  This  almanack  aiiti  periodical  are  both  of  thcni  published  by 
the  Religious  Tract  Society  of  Paris. 


Atlas  Eange  ;  you  can  easily  imagine  the  difficulties  of 
their  position  when  I  tell  you  that  there  are  certain 
pastors,  those  for  instance  of  Ain  Arnat  and  of  Mos- 
tagenem  who  have  no  fewer  than  five  or  six  places  of 
woi-ship  to  serve,  and  these  for  the  most  part  at  a  con- 
siderate distance  from  their  own  homes;  there  are 
indeed  some  cases  in  which  they  can  only  visit  certain 
of  their  outljing  districts  once  a  year. 

The  government  on  its  part  (we  must  do  it  this 
justice)  shows  itself  full  of  good  feeling,  I  might  say, 
full  of  anxiety  to  bring  about  a  better  state  of  things, 
both  in  fiu'thering  as  much  as  possible  those  pastoral 
visitations  already  made,  and  initiating  others  where 
they  are  really  needed.  For  instance,  during  the 
course  of  last  year  two  new  stations  have  been  estab- 
lished, the  one  at  Kemeen,  the  other  at  Cherchel,  in 
which  last  locality  the  installation  of  M.  Frederic 
Heim,  the  preacher  of  the  newly  organised  parish,  took 
place  not  long  ago.  This  service  was  solemnised  in 
the  presence  both  of  the  French  and  German  Evan- 
gelical communities,  and  also  of  a  large  nmnber  of 
Catholics,  who  were  led  by  this  special  circumstance 
to  attend  our  worship  ;  as  for  instance,  the  civil  com- 
missioners, the  municipal  council,  the  chief  commandant 
of  the  produce,  and  other  cinl  and  military  authorities. 
This  new  parish  comprehends  the  towns  of  Cherchel, 
Tenis,  Orleansville,  and  Milianali,  with  their  sur- 
rounding yillagf>s  ;  judge  therefore  of  its  extent ! 

The  pastors  of  AlgiTia  have  had  the  happy  idea  of 
transplanting  to  African  soil  that  agency  of  humble 
Christian  women  which  has  been  so  singularly  blessed 
in  London  and  other  English  towns.    They  have  in 
Algiers  itself  a  Bible  woman,  whose  special  task  it  is 
to  read  the  Bible  to  sick  and  needy  women.    They  also 
took  advantage  of  the  great  concourse  in  the  city  on 
the  occasion  of  the  last  fair  which  happened  to  coincide 
with  file  organisation  of  a  raco-course,  and  of  an 
agricultural  and  industrial  exhibition,  to  sow  a  few 
grains  of  evangelical  seed,  by  establishing  in  the  midst 
of  the  crowd  a  colporteur  with  his  modest  stand  of 
books.    In  one  week  he  sold  61  Bibles,  45  New  Testa- 
ments, 92  Psalm  Books ;  305  copies  of  the  Penta-  j 
teuch  to  the  Jews,  and  149  religious  publications  of  i 
the    Toulouse.  Tract  Society.     This  man  remarked 
among  his  customers,  sailors,  priests,  officers  of  marines,  | 
Spahis,  Italians,  &c.    The  English  pastor,  IVIi-.  Lowitz,  | 
took  advantage  of  the  throng  thus  occasioned,  to  preach  j 
the  Go.spel  message  alternately  to  Spanish  or  Jewish  j 
pmx'liasers,  addressing  both  in  their  own  language.  ^ 


KAFFEARIA.  \ 

The  following  extracts  are  from  a  journal  of  visita-  1 
tion  made  by  the  Bishop  of  Grahamstown,  at  the  close 
of  la.st  year.     Writing   of  St.  Jolm  the  Baptist's, 
Bolotwa,  he  says : — 

'  Miss  End^,  the  German  lady  who  has  had  charge  \ 
of  the  girls,  retm-ned  to  fetch  a  book  wliich  had  been 
left  there.  She  was  surprised  to  hear  a  voice  proceed- 
ing from  the  vestry  ;  and  on  listening,  she  found  that  ' 
it  was  one  of  these  girls,  who,  with  three  or  four 
of  her  companions,  had  gone  there  to  pray;  and 
their  jn-ayer  was  that  my  visit  might  bo  blessed  to 
them,  and  that  God  himself  might  enable  me  to  say 
something  that  might  be  useful  to  them.  Poor  girls! 
this  prayer  from  them  had  a  significance  which  English 
girls  of  that  age  can  hardly  realise.  They  have  been 
for  some  time  very  anxious  as  to  their  own  future 
condition  in  'life,  and  the  intention  of  their  heathen 
parents  respecting  them  ;  for  they  are  all  the  children 
of  heathens.  Being  now  of  marriageable  age,  their 
parents  wished  to  marry  them  out,  and  in  several  cases  to 
make  gain  of  them  by  selling  them  to  heathen  husbands. 


March  2,  1863. 


WOKK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


49 


We  have  assured  tliem,  however,  that  if  only  they  will 
remain  firm  themselves,  the  English  law  will  protect 
them  against  violence.  The  Kafir  custom  of  parents 
requiring  cattle  from  those  to  whom  they  give  their 
daughters  in  marriage,  may  be  defended  in  theory  by 
specious  arguments — as,  indeed,  may  every  custom  of 
every  nation  under  heaven  :  in  practice,  it  is  the  source 
of  fearful  evils,  as  it  makes  it  the  interest  of  every 
Kafir  father  to  dispose  of  his  girls  to  any  old  poly- 
gamist  who  can  offer  many  cattle  for  a  new  concubine. 
I  cannot  believe  that  the  British  Government  would 
permit  any  of  its  oflScers  to  give  its  sanction  to  this 
demoralising  and  degrading  trade  in  women,  if  the  true 
character  and  practical  results  of  this  native  custom 
were  generally  understood.' 

#  *  *  «  * 

Of  .St.  Mark's  Mission  he  wTites : — '  This  mission  is, 
both  in  the  character  of  the  work,  and  as  regards  the 
relations  between  the  missionary  and  the  native  popu- 
lation on  the  station,  distinct  from  every  other  in  this 
diocese.  Here  a  large  industrial  work  has  been  carried 
on  by  the  liid  of  the  Government,  amongst  a  popula- 
tion of  more  than  1,200  natives,  many  of  whom  profess 
Christianity. 

'  It  was  not  until  18.59  that  the  .state  of  the  people 
permitted  us  to  commence  regular  industrial  training 
in  the  schools  and  shoj^s.  During  that  year  the  pro- 
gressive change  in  the  general  halnts  and  character  of 
the  people  was  such  as  to  enable  us  to  place  100 
children — the  support  of  whom  had  been  hitherto  a 
hea\-y  burden  on  our  funds — in  charge  of  their  fric  nds 
and  relations  on  the  station,  and  to  devote  the  Govern- 
ment grants  almost  exclusively  to  industrial  work. 

'  I  need  only  say  here  that,  besides  the  day-schools 
there,  which  are  attended  by  much  more  than  300  chil- 
dren, there  is  a  sewing-school  of  eighty  girls  and 
young  women,  and  more  than  sixty  young  men  are 
instructed  in  different  trades.  During  the  past  year 
work  to  the  value  of  470/.  was  produced  by  the 
industrial  classes. 

'  The  general  results  which  have  been  attained  are 
the  following : — 

'  A  remnant  of  the  powerful  Galeka  tribe  is  collected 
on  this  station,  and  has  undergone  a  change  in  their 
habits  and  characters,  and  relations  to  us,  which, 
whether  their  conversion  to  Christianity  be  supposed 
to  be  genuine  or  not — iind  I  know  no  reason  for  doubt- 
ing its  reality — yet  cannot  fail  to  be  of  consequence 
to  the  political  state  of  the  country.  Many  hxmdreds 
of  those  who,  not  five  years  ago,  were  savage  and  fierce 
barbarians,  have  forsaken  the  demoralising  and  de- 
grading customs  of  their  fellow-countrymen  ;  they 
have  intercour.se  as  nu^n  and  Christians  with  ourselves, 
are  amenable  to  the  Christian  laws  of  the  mission 
8tatinn.s,  are  adopting  European  dress  and  modes  of 
life,  and  are  become,  a.s  compared  with  their  former 
state,  civilised  men.  It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  a 
community  so  gathered  and  formed  should  be  free 
from  moral  i-yiIh  :  but  the  testimony  of  the  neigh- 
bouring police-station  shows  tliat  crime  is  not  common 
amongst  them  ;  drunkenness  is  not  known  on  the 
station  ;  and  I  think  tluit  the  morality  of  these  Kafirs 
will  bear  comparison  with  that  of  any  English  village 
of  the  same  population. 

'  Tlie  industrial  instruction  luis  not  continued  long 
enough  to  produce  skilled  worknu'n,  although  some  of 
tlie  young  men  miglit  already  find  employment  as 
mechanics.  IJut  it  must  be  observed  ihul  eve nj  Kii fir 
who  Icarnx  a  trade  is  an  ehnunt  of  peace  in  this 
country.  As  in  other  parts  of  Africa,  the  encourage- 
ment of  legitimate  commerce  is  the  best  antidote  to 
the  slave-trade,  so  the  best  security  against  Kafir 
wars  tile  fruitful  source  of  which  has  been  a  desire 
for  plunder  in  order  to  purchase  wives  and  obtain 
influence  by  their  possessions — is  to  confer  ou  the 


natives  the  power,  by  skilled  laboiu',  of  gaining  a  live- 
lihood and  accumulating  propertj'  for  themselves,  and 
so  to  make  them  contributors  to  the  general  wealth  of 
the  country,  instead  of  its  destroyers.' 

#  #  *  *  # 

'  I  believe  from  my  own  observation  of  missions,  that 
there  are  two  methods  by  which  God  is  working  now 
for  the  evangelising  of  heathen  nations.  In  one  case, 
converts  are  brought  out,  one  by  one,  from  the  mass  of 
heathenism ;  they  have  to  endure  much  opposition, 
and  possibly  to  pass  through  a  severe  struggle,  before 
they  are  joined  to  the  Church,  of  Christ.  These 
converts  show  much  the  most  earnestness  and  zeal  in 
the  faith,  and  the  light  of  the  gospel  shines  in  them 
clearly.  In  other  cases,  as  formerly  in  Tinnevelly,  and 
now  (on  a  much  smaller  scale)  in  our  St.  Mark's 
Mission,  many  heathens  are  disposed  to  unite  in 
making  a  jirofession  of  Christianity,  probably  from 
some  general  conviction  of  its  superiority  to  heathenism, 
and  without  having  to  undergo  the  same  amount  of 
opposition  as  those  who  came  over  singly.  The  work 
may  be  real  and  sincere,  so  far  as  it  extends,  but  the 
same  ^igour  and  power  of  Christian  life  is  not  to  be  j 
expected  at  first,  as  in  the  former  case.  The  mass  has  , 
to  be  gradually  and  thoroughly  leavened  with  the  truth 
of  God,  and,  in  time,  by  his  grace,  and  tlirough  the 
faithful  ministry  of  the  Word,  it  becomes  quickened 
into  active  life.  I  bcKeve  that  the  ultimate  results  of 
the  two  processes,  after  many  years  of  faithful  labours, 
are  not  so  different  one  from  another  as  might  be 
supposed. 

'  Ou  one  of  the  days  of  my  visit  at  St.  Mark'.s,  all  the 
missionaries  of  the  district  met  there,  that  we  might 
unite  in  prayer  and  the  Holy  Communion.  I  spoke  j 
to  them  on  Ephes.  i.  17,  18,  "The  eyes  of  youi-  xmder-  i 
standing  being  enlightened,"  &c. ;  dwelling  cliiefly  on  | 
the  necessity  of  clearness  of  spiritual  vision  for  those,  j 
whether  English  or  natives,  who  would  be  spiritual  j 
guides  of  others.' 


MADAGASCAR. 

The  anchorage  at  Tamatave  is  little  more  than  a 
roadstead,  protected  by  reefs,  and  exposed  to  winda 
from  the  east  and  north.  The  village  is  built  on  a 
point  of  land  stretching  into  the  sea  towards  the  south. 
Here,  amidst  a  population,  the  greater  part  of  which  is 
clothed  more  or  less  in  articles  of  European  manufac- 
ture, may  be  seen  officials  recently  arrived  on  business 
from  the  capital.  Ellis  descriln  s  one  of  these  men : — 
'  On  the  up]ier  part  of  his  person  he  wore  a  fine  figured 
shirt,  with  Vandyke  collar  and  -vrastbands  of  the  same 
pattern,  and,  loosely  thrown  over  this,  a  large  and 
handsome  silk  scarf,  or  lamba.  The  centre  of  the 
lamba  consisted  of  broad  stripes  of  piu-ple,  scarlet, 
pink,  and  yellow,  edged  with  a  border  tastefully 
wrought  on  a  kind  of  open  work,  exJiibiting  a  cui-ious 
pattern  in  yellow  and  scarlet  silk.  He  had  neither 
siloes  nor  stockings,  but  wore  a  blue  cloth  cap,  the 
shade  edged  wth  silver,  and  tlie  crown  sui-mounted  by 
a  broad  band  of  gold  lace.' 

The  first  stage  of  the  journey  is  Hivondi-o,  about 
nine  miles  from  Tamatave.  Here  the  traveller  embarks  ! 
in  pirogues  upon  the  lagoons,  which  exti  nd  southward  j 
from  Tamatave  in  a  direction  jianiUel  to  the  sea.  These  i 
lagoons  are  separated  from  the  sea  by  a  tongue  of  land 
thickly  wooded,  .sdiiu  tinies  not  more  than  three  hmi-  i 
drc  d  fei  I  in  l)readtli.  The  navigation  is  iiitemipted  by  I 
little  isthmuse  s,  which  break  its  continuity,  and  render  ' 
necessary  an  occasional  portage.  I 

Ther(>  are  three  emhoiu  hurcs  by  which  these  lagoons  t 
communicate  witli  the  sea  ;  one  at  Hivondro,  the  second  j 
at  Audavaka  Meiierana,  and  the  thiid  at  the  village  of  t 
Andcvorandro.  i 


50 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


Makch  2,  1863. 


A  scattered  village,  named  Boaboihazo,  is  the  point 
where  the  traveller  quits  the  southerly  direction  and 
turns  abruptly  towards  the  west.  A  country  broken 
by  hills,  and  witli  very  limited  cultivation,  is  then 
entered.  Passing  the  hot  springs  of  Eanomafana,  the  ! 
hills  become  more  steep,  until  the  village  of  Ampasimbe 
is  reached,  fifteen  hundred  feet  above  the  sea-level.  The 
aspect  of  the  coimtry  now  changes,  becomingbare  of  wood, 
and  spreading  out  into  pastures  for  numerous  flocks. 

Beforana,  mentioned  in  the  Bishop's  narrative,  is  one 
of  the  most  unhealthy  places  in  the  island.  It  is  si- 
tuated in  a  marshy  valley,  shiit  in  by  steep  hills.  It  is 
full  of  deleterious  exhalations,  which,  at  morning  and 
evening,  appear  as  a  dense  fog. 

The  forest  of  Alamanazoatra  is  now  entered,  the 
transit  through  wliieh  presents  much  of  beauty  and  in- 
terest. The  ferns  are  abimdant,  and  bamboos  of  a 
curious  species,  bending  their  flexible  trunks  until  they 
almost  touch  the  earth  with  the  flowery  tiifts  with  which 
they  are  crowned,  their  brilliant  verdure  relieving  the 
dark  foliage  of  the  forest  trees.  The  traveller  requires 
something  to  recompense  him  for  the  fatiguing  pathway 
he  has  to  pui'sue,  of  which  the  Bishop  speaks  as  one 
who  had  experienced  it. 

Emerging  from  the  forest,  the  country  becomes  more 
level,  and  many  hamlets  are  to  be  seen  surroimded  with 
rice-fields.  A  high  chain  of  fern-clad  hills  being  sur- 
mounted, the  traveller  sees  before  him  the  valley  of 
Ankay,  quite  luicidtivated,  but  rich  in  fossil  remains, 
beyond  which  appear  the  mountains  of  Ankay,  their 
base  covered  'with  a  blue  vapour,  from  the  midst  of 
which  their  summits  stand  forth  distinctly,  the  loftier 
peaks  of  the  Ankova  mountains  appe;iring  beyond  them 
in  the  distance. 

Crossing  the  river  Mangouron,  the  Ankay  chain  is 
traversed,  from  the  top  of  which  a  view,  extensive  in 
every  direction,  save  westward,  is  obtained,  the  descent 
leading  into  a  valley  better  cultivated  than  any  preced- 
ing poi-tion  of  the  route.  Passing  tlie  brook  of  Antatabe, 
the  Ankova  chain  has  to  be  surmounted — one  formida- 
bly steep — the  pass  lying  near  tlio  summit  of  a  lofty 
granite  mountain  capped  with  claj',  and  having  steep 
inaccessible  sides.  '  The  small  portion  of  level  land  on 
the  summit  is  defended  by  a  succession  of  deep  ditches, 
extending  nearly  roimd  it,  and  continued,  one  after 
another,  from  the  summit  to  the  edge  of  the  precipitous 
sides.'  Descending  by  a  liroken  path  into  an  open 
country,  laid  out  in  rice  grounds,  the  traveller  reaches 
Ankera  Mandinika,  the  first  Hova  village. 

The  Hova  ■\'illages  are  surrounded  with  mud  walls 
and  entrenchments,  a  covered  way  not  unfrequently 
leading  into  the  village.  '  I  was  much  struck,'  observes 
Mr.  Ellis,  '  with  the  diflfcrence  between  the  Hovas  and 
the  inhabitants  of  the  country  through  which  I  had 
passed,  as  manifest  in  the  position  and  defences  of  their 
villages,  indicating  that  they  must  have  been  a  maraiid- 
ing  sort  of  peopl(>,  ever  liable  to  reprisals  from  other 
tribes,  or  else  constantly  engaged  in  war  amongst  them- 
selves. Their  villages  are  all  built  upon  the  summits  of 
hills,  enclosed  in  clay  walls  of  varied  height  and  thick- 
ness, and  having  but  one  narrow  and  difficult  entrance, 
being,  Ix'sides  this,  smrounded  by  one  or  more  deep 
ditches.  Those  ditches  were  sometimes  extended  to  a 
considerable  distance  from  the  walls  enclosing  tlieir 
houses,  and  beyond  these  there  wore  deep  cuttings  across 
any  rising:  ground  leading  to  the  viUage.  Great  skiU 
was  manifested  in  the  plan  of  their  defences,  as  well  as 
great  labour  in  their  completion.  In  no  other  country, 
perhaps,  have  the  villages  been  so  unifomily  defended 
by  this  species  of  fortifications  as  in  this  part  of  Mada- 
gascar. In  this  respect  their  defences  appear  more  ela- 
borate and  permanent  than  those  I  had  noticed  around 
the  Pas  of  New  Zealand,  or  the  mountain  fortresses  of 
the  South-Sea  Islands.' 

Ambatomanga  is  tlie  next  viUage  on  the  route,  an 


immense  pile  of  blue  granite  rock,  upwards  of  200  feet 
high,  and  as  many  broad,  giving  to  the  viUago  its  name, 
which  signifies  '  blue  rock.'  On  the  summit  is  the  tomb 
of  a  Hova  chief,  named  Rambasalama.  This  part  of 
the  country  being  subject  to  violent  storms,  the  princi- 
pal houses  are  protected  by  lightning  conductors  made 
of  woven  copper  vrire,  and  introduced  into  the  earth  to 
the  depth  of  four  feet. 

Betafo  is  five  miles  from  the  capital,  and  tlien  An- 
draisora,  three  miles,  a  fortified  ^•illage  with  a  double 
trench  and  covered  way.  There  is  here  a  tomb  of  solid 
masonry,  about  twelve  yards  in  length  and  of  the  same 
breadth.  These  tombs  generally  occupy  small  eleva- 
tions at  a  distance  from  the  road.  'They  consist 
generally  of  a  square  raised  platform,  having  their 
sides  formed  by  slabs  fixed  in  the  ground,  with  some- 
times a  succession  of  smaller  platform.s,  one  upon 
another,  giving  a  sort  of  pjTamidal  form  to  the  tomb  ; 
or  else  there  are  two  or  tlu-ee  largo  upright  stones 
standing  erect  within  the  first  stone  inclosure.  Some 
of  these  seem  to  be  ancient,  and  may  justly  be  reckoned 
amongst  the  most  remarkable  and  impressive  antiqui- 
ties of  the  country.' 

As  the  distance  from  the  capital  diminishes,  the 
villages  become  more  numerous,  and  at  length  the  palace 
of  silver  appears,  distinctly  visible,  it  is  said,  at  a  dis- 
tance of  fom-teen  miles,  and  long  before  any  other  object 
in  the  city  can  be  discerned.  It  stands  near  the  centre 
of  the  long  oval-shaped  hill  of  some  five  himdred  feet 
high,  on  which  Antananarivo  is  situated,  being  itself 
about  sixty  feet  high,  the  walls  surrounded  by  double 
verandahs  one  above  the  other,  the  roof  being  lofty  and 
steep,  with  attic  windows  at  three  different  elevations. 
On  the  centre  of  the  top  of  the  house  is  a  large  gilt 
figure  of  an  eagle  with  outspread  wings. 

The  Bishop  of  Mauritius'  Visit  to  Madaoascab. 

After  his  recent  return  from  Madagascar,  the  Bishop 
attended  a  meeting  of  the  Mauritius  Bible  Society,  on 
which  occasion,  in  speaking  to  one  of  the  resolutions, 
ho  gave  the  following  interesting  account  of  his  visit  to 
Madagascar : — 

'  The  Resolution  I  hold  in  my  hand  alludes  to  the 
"  silent  extension  of  Christian  trntli  in  Madagascar," 
"  and  the  signal  demonstration  of  the  di^-inc  blessing 
upon  the  reading  of  the  word  of  God."  I  think  I  may 
say  with  truth  that  I  was  never  more  impressed  in  my 
life  with  anything  than  I  was  at  witnessing  the  results 
occasioned  by  tlu;  spread  of  Christian  truth  in  Mada- 
gascar. It  is  my  firm  opinion  that  it  is  impossible  for 
anyone  to  feel  the  full  force  of  this  impression  unless 
he' has  witnessed  and  studied  it  himself.  The  effect  of 
Christian  teaching  in  Madagascar  struck  me  as  possess- 
ing a  most  remarkable  character ;  and  it  was  first  in- 
troduced to  my  mind  in  this  manner — I  was  requested 
to  attend  a  meeting  of  some  of  the  natives.  I  said  I 
would  do  so  if  I  could  ;  but  the  heat  of  the  season  was 
so  great,  that  I  could  not  remain  on  .shore,  and  was 
compelled  to  go  back  to  the  ship.  I  there  received  a 
letter  address<  d  to  me  as  "  The  Bishop  of  Mauritius, 
our  beloved  brother  on  board  the  .ship,"  expressive  of 
the  Christians'  regret  at  my  inability  to  be  amongst 
them  on  the  occasion  to  which  I  had  been  invited,  and 
requesting  me  to  attend  in  the  evening.  As  regards 
Tamatave,  my  impression  is,  that  it  must  be  one  of  the 
worst  places  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.  The  outward 
indications  of  \-iee  and  iniquity  there  ^ritnessed  are 
dreadful  in  the  extreme.  But,  in  compliance  with  the 
request  just  alluded  to,  I  went  on  shore  in  the  evening, 
and  found  more  than  a  hundred  persons  met  together 
to  receive  me.  They  listened  most  attentively  to  the 
word  of  God :  and  their  praying  and  singing  were  of 
the  most  fervent  character.  They  expressed  great 
pleasure  at  seeing  me,  and  intimated  their  earnest 
desire  to  have  Christian  teachers  sent  amongst  them. 


March  2, 1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


51 


'  After  lea-v-ing  Tamatavo,  and  proceeding  towards  the 
capital,  the  road  lies  on  the  right  hand,  the  sea  being 
on  the  left.  Four  attendants  left  tlie  port  with  me, 
and  three  of  these  remained  with  me  until  I  arrived  at 
the  capital,  one  ha^-ing  left  me  on  the  way.  They  were 
ever  ready  to  enter  \ipon  the  exercise  of  prayer.  As  an 
instance,  I  may  mention,  that  on  one  evening  I  was 
obliged,  from  fatigue,  to  go  into  my  cot,  and  fell  asleep. 
I  was  awakened  in  the  early  morning  by  the  voices  of 
persons  who  were  engaged  in  reading  th(!  Scripture 
and  in  prayer ;  and,  on  enquiry,  I  was  informed  that 
these  exercises  had  been  carried  on  throughout  the 
night.  I  found  myself  in  a  large  room,  suspended  in 
my  cot,  the  room  selected  for  my  accommodation  ha^^^g 
been  nearly  as  large  as  that  in  which  we  are  now  as- 
sembled. They  were  ever  ready  for  prayer  and  for 
reading  the  Scripture ;  more  so,  indeed,  than  I  was  able 
at  all  times  to  assist  in,  owing  to  my  being  sick  with 
fever.  Proceeding  along  our  journey,  we  came  to  a 
place  called  Indivaranty,  where  we  met  with  many 
Christians,  who  walked  out  tlirough  the  village  towards 
us,  to  welcome  us.  On  arriving  at  the  village,  we  went 
to  a  house,  where  we  found  a  woman,  who  was  a  listener 
to  the  Missionaries  who  w-ere  expelled  nearly  thirty 
yfars  ago.  The  honesty  of  the  j^eople — in  a  part  of 
the  country  where  there  is  no  police,  and  no  magistrate 
or  judge— particularly  struck  me.  On  one  occasion  I 
held  a  meeting,  when  three  fine  young  men  came  in, 
whom  I  fo\md  to  be  Christians.  They  had  each  a  copy 
of  a  Malagasy  h3rmn  book,  and  they  started  the  singing 
of  well-known  English  sacred  airs.  All  of  these  young 
men  were  able  to  read ;  and  one  of  them  engaged  in 
prayer.  This  was  precisely  the  state  of  things  I  met 
with  throughout  my  passage  from  the  coast  to  the 
capital. 

'  In  the  capital,  and  in  its  immediate  neighbourhood, 
I  was  struck  by  yet  more  sterling  proofs  of  the  abiding 
power  of  God's  word  ;  for,  in  spite  of  the  cruel  per- 
secution of  the  late  Queen,  there  are  at  tliis  hour  many 
thousands  more  of  openly-pronounced  Christians  than 
there  were  known  to  be  at  the  ejection  of  the  mission- 
aries in  1845.  I  met  with  many  Christians  who  ap- 
peared to  have  had  the  truth  brought  to  their  knowledge 
in  a  very  special  and  striking  manner.  Some  of  these 
I  particularly  questioned.  One  of  them  had  been 
taught  Cliristianity  by  a  Hova  mother:  she  had  been 
seized,  imprisoned,  and  had,  almost  miraexilously,  es- 
caped :  seized  again,  she  was  again  imprisoned,  and  put 
to  d(!ath  with  hoirible  torture.  A  comrade,  anxious  to 
do  everything  in  his  power  to  oblige  and  assist  her  in 
her  persecutions,  discovered  that  it  was  the  mistress  of 
the  family  who  had  taught  her,  and  this  latter  was,  in 
consequence,  sold  into  slavery.  Wh&t  became  of  her 
afterwards  he  never  knew. 

'  Arriving  on  tlie  heights  of  Antananarivo,  I  never 
saw  seenerj-  more  beautiful  than  was  there  spread  out 
before  me.  In  the  dwelling  occupied  by  the  General 
and  myself,  we  overlooked  the  whole  of  the  city.  Mr. 
Ellis,  who  was  present  at  one  of  the  meetings  held  there, 
said  there  must  have  been  at  least  15,000  persons  pre- 
sent I  never  saw  anything  like  the  foi-vour  I  tliere 
witnessed.  I  shortly  afterwards  addressed  the  people, 
when  from  1,000  to  1,400  persons  were  present— a 
mighty  crowd  pressing  its  in  upon  all  sides.  Whilst  I 
addressed  tliem,  a  kind  of  electric  feeling  seemed  to 
possess  and  pervade  the  whole  assembly.  I  spoke  to 
them  of  the  fullness  of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  The  Kev.  Mr.  Ellis  interpreted  my  ob8er\'ations, 
and  their  effect  so  gi-utified  mo,  that  I  recalled  those 
ILnee — 

'  In  holy  plensures  let  the  day 
In  holy  fervour  pass  awny  1 " 

Numbers,  no  doubt  merely  go  to  such  re-imions  as  a 
pastime,  for  the  pxirpose  of  spending  an  hour  or  two. 
Mr.  Ellis  commences  his  services  early,  and  concludes 


them  at  1 1  a.m.  To  see  the  people  swarm  along  the 
streets  produces  much  the  effect  of  a  swarm  of  bees 
around  a  bee-hive.  My  firm  impression  is,  that  it  is 
not  of  the  least  use  to  attempt  to  spread  the  Roman 
Catholic  religion  in  Madagascar.  One  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  priesthood  whom  I  met  there,  observed  to  me, 
that  one  might  just  as  well  attempt  to  cut  a  rock  with  a 
razor,  as  attempt  to  make  Roman  Catholics  of  the 
Malagasy.  On  my  way  down  from  the  capital  to 
Tamatave,  I  asked  Mr.  Ellis  if  he  was  prepared  to  un- 
dertake the  immediate  responsibilit}'  of  conducting  the 
mission.  He  unhesitatingly  replied  "  Yes."  He  stated 
that  the  whole  coast  was  ojaen  ;  that  missionaries  were 
on  their  way  out ;  and  that  everj'thing  was  ready  for 
missionary  labour,  even  to  the  very  centre  of  Antana- 
narivo. Some  of  the  first  and  most  influential  young 
men  in  the  island  are  stud3ang  under  Mr.  Ellis's  in- 
structions, and  one  of  the  highest  officers  in  the  army 
has  learnt  his  A,  B,  C  luider  his  care,  almost  in  a  single 
lesson :  he  had  been  regularly  put  through  his  lesson, 
and  very  speedily  learnt  it. 

'  We  paid  a  visit  to  the  four  villages  in  which  the 
Cludstian  martyrs  had  been  .sacrificed.  The  bones  of 
some  of  the  martjrrs  stiU  remain  where  they  fell,  but 
Mr.  Ellis  did  not  wish  to  remove  them  for  Christian 
burial,  imtil  the  missionaries  sliould  arrive,  and  in  this 
I  fully  concurred.  Let  Mr.  EUis  say  what  was  the 
effect  produced  upon  him,  and  upon  the  Malagasy 
Cliristians,  by  the  liglit  of  this  spectacle.  We  passed 
by  spots  where  their  bleached  remains  still  lay,  ever 
since  1858  ;  the  martyrs  having  been  precipitated  down 
a  height  of  at  least  seventy  perpendicular  feet :  there, 
striking  against  projecting  rocks,  they  had  rolled  down 
a  farther  descent  of  at  least  fifty  fe(t.  Those  survi\ing 
relatives  or  friends  who  had  been  able  to  obtain  the 
permission  to  do  so,  had  removed  some  of  these 
melancholy  remains  ;  but  the  bodies  of  several  of  the 
martyrs,  on  beuig  hurled  from  the  precipice,  had  been 
arrested  in  their  descent  by  the  wide-spreading  branches 
of  beech  trees  planted  there  by  English  missionaries 
many  j'cars  pre\-iously  ;  and  evidences  still  exist  of 
this  fearful  tennination  of  tlieir  lingering  agonies,  and 
of  the  impossibility  of  according  to  them  the  last  tokens 
of  respect  claimed  by  our  common  humanity.  Our 
attention  was  again  directed  to  another  .spot,  at  which 
four  Malagasy  nobles  had  been  burnt  at  the  stake  for 
their  profession  of  Christianity  ;  and  these  spots  coidd 
all  be  seen  from  the  palace  of  the  late  Queen  ;  or 
if  they  could  not  be  seen,  or  if  the  Queen  was  unable 
personally  to  assure  herself  of  the  literal  execution  of 
lu>r  cruel  decrees,  special  officers  were  despatched  to 
witness  the  same,  and  to  report  the  fact  to  the  Queen. 
She  would  not,'  she  declared,  rest  satisfied  until  she 
had  uprooted  every  Christian  in  her  dominions.  "  These 
Cliristians,"  it  was  her  habit  to  say,  "  will  not  cease 
singing  their  hj'mns  until  their  heads  are  cut  off!" 
When  I  heard  that  remark  repeated,  I  said  that 
Christians  would  not  cease  singing  xuitil  they  had 
reached  their  homo  in  heaven !  Numerous  cases  of 
dreadful  persecution— the  ordeal  of  the  tangena  and 
other  poisonous  processes— were  brought  to  my  notice. 

'  It  may  be  well  to  state  what  took  place  when  we 
went  up  to  the  palace  to  present  the  copy  of  the  Bible 
to  the  King,  with  wliich  I  was  specially  entrusted. 
The  officers  of  the  court,  when  I  presented  tliat  Bible, 
received  me,  amidst  two  rows  of  their  ladies,  all  dressed 
in  strange  and  almost  barbaric  splendour.  The  address 
I  had  -written  for  the  occasion  was  admirabh'  trane- 
hited  by  one  of  the  high  officers  of  the  palace,  and  some 
of  the  sentences  were  so  constructed  as  to  be  most 
suitable  for  Oriental  literature.  The  King  seemed  to 
enter  with  much  feeling  into  some  portions  of  this 
address,  and  at  it«  close  shook  me  most  cordially  by  the 
hand.  Tiiis  will  illustrate  the  feelings  he  has  regarding 
the  sacred  volume  ;  and  I  trust  it  will  quicken  tlie  sen- 

E  i 


52  WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTL^N  CHURCH.  Maech  2, 1863. 


fhnent  of  devotion  with  which  we  as  Cliristians  should 
implore  the  divine  blessing  upon  him,  and  that,  in  the 
language  of  this  Resolution,  "he  may  wear  his  ero'nn 
with  wisdom  and  in  peace  and  prosperity,  until  he 
obtains  an  incorruptible  crown  in  the  kingdom  of 
Ivearen."  ' — Church  Missionary  Intelligencer. 


On  Wednesday  afternoon  (writes  a  missionary)  three 
of  our  number,  in  company  \vith  Mr.  E.  and  General 
Johnson,  visited  the  spots  where  the  Chi-istians  had 
been  put  to  death.  The  first  was  at  the  south  end  of 
the  city,  and  there,  mi  the  city  ditch,  surrounding  the 
hrow  of  the  steep  and  precipitous  hill,  was  a  niche, 
dug  out  with  a  spade,  to  mark  the  place  where  Eaza- 
1am  a,  and  those  who  followed  her,  were  put  to  death. 
Underneath  that  niche  were  the  bones  of  Cliristian 
martyj-s  \ying  bleaching  in  the  sun.  A  few  yards  from 
this  ditch,  on  the  rising  ground  above  us,  the  stump  of 
a  troe.  stuck  in  the  groimd,  and  in  the  shallow  trench 
surrounding  this  elevation,  lay  another  piece  of  wood — 
it  was  the  remains  of  a  cross  on  which  Chri-stian  men 
had  J>eeu  crucified  for  believing  in  Clirist,  who  himself 
was  crucified.  Tliis  was  like  a  ^-isit  to  Calvary.  On 
the  opposite  side  of  the  valley,  by  a  hill-side,  was  the 
-spot  where  some  twenty-one  were  stoned  to  death  not 
many  years  ago.  The  General  put  a  small  piece  of  the 
cross  in  liis  pocket,  and  ordered  his  servant  to  take  up 
the  piece  that  was  lying  on  the  ground,  and  carry  it  to 
Mr.  E.'s  house.  Upon  the  spot  where  this  stump  now 
is,  a  stone  chapel  is  to  be  built ;  the  bones  are  to  be 
gathered  up  and  placed  in  the  foundation,  and  the  piece 
of  the  cross  still  remaining  is  to  be  built  into  some 
part  of  the  chapel  walls.  A  glorious  site  from  its 
a.ssociations,  and  also  from  its  position,  as  it  commands 
the  south  of  the  city,  and  tlie  whole  country  for  miles 
round  is  the  south  of  the  city.  Tliosc  who  enter  the 
city  fi-om  the  south  must  pass  it,  and  it  cannot  but  be 
j«en  by  the  villages  around — a  better  sight,  indeed,  than 
the  bleeding  heads  of  martyred  victims  stuck  on  spikes 
lound  the  margin  of  the  city  ditch. 

Descending  into  the  valley  below,  and  walking 
f hroiigh  it  to  the  centre  of  the  adjoining  plain  — 
Iraahamasina — we  were  opposite  the  rock  from  wliich 


the  Christians  were  hurled — at  ouo  point  of  the  road 
you  could  see  the  last-mentioned  spot  and  the  rock, 
both  more  than  100  feet  above  you.  Climbing  up  the 
clayey  ground,  we  approached  the  bottom  of  the  rock, 
and  got  some  idea  of  its  height ;  at  the  top,  rounded 
and  sloping  till  it  reached  the  edge,  here  the  Christians 
hung  in  suspense,  and  were  offered  life  if  they  would 
recant ;  they  did  not ;  the  rope  was  cut,  and,  bounding 
over  the  edge,  striking  the  ledge  below,  which  gave 
them  back  to  one  still  farther  down,  they  rolled  black, 
bruised,  and  bleeding  corpses,  among  the  peach-trees  or 
on  the  road  below.  Here,  on  the  top  of  this  rock,  the 
second  chapel  is  to  be  built,  looking  doivn  from  the 
precipitous  rock  that  runs  along  the  western  side  of 
the  hill,  on  the  plain  Imahamasina,  and  commanding 
the  central  portion  of  the  city.  Near  the  bottom  of 
this  rock  service  is  held  every  Sabbath  in  one  of  the 
houses  in  the  village.  Farther  to  the  north  and  west 
is  Ambatonakanga,  where  the  first  chapel  was  built — 
the  bell  still  stands  ;  this  is  to  be  the  site  of  the  third 
chapel,  and  I  hope  soon  the  bell  will  again  summon 
the  valleys  on  each  side  to  the  worship  of  God.  Again, 
ascending  along  the  western  side  of  the  city,  passing  on 
ow  way  some  ancient  Ibma  graves,  wo  came  to  Fara- 
riohitra,  at  the  north  end  of  the  city.  Here  the  last 
martyrs  were  biu-ned,  and  here,  upon  that  very  spot, 
the  fourtli  chapel  is  to  be  built,  with  a  position  as  com- 
manding as  that  on  the  south  side,  and  scenery  equally 
beautiful.  Oh  !  it  must  have  been  hard  to  look  for  the 
last  time  upon  those  green  fields — upon  tliat  setting 
sun — upon  the  glorious  hills  beyond,  and  from  the 
midst  of  the  burning  flames  hold  up  a  scorched  and 
fleshless  arm  to  bid  adieu  to  earthly  friends.  Truly, 
these  people  must  have  knoMTi  the  meaning  of  the 
fourteenth  chapter  of  John's  Gospel.  Well,  these  are 
the  sites  of  the  chapels  ;  they  ■will  cost  some  2,500/. 
each.  General  Johnson  promised  to  do  what  he  could 
liimself  among  his  friends ;  the  Bishop  of  Mauritius 
has  promised  to  lend  us  his  aid ;  we  must  look  to  our 
friends  in  Britain  for  the  rest.  Certainly  such  places 
deserve  lasting  memorials  ;  here  God  appeared  to  those 
who  suffered ;  the  ground  is  holy,  let  us  keep  it  so,  and 
erect  Bethels  upon  the  spot  where  these  men  so  nobly 
suffered  for  Christ  and  his  cause. 


AMEEICA. 


UNITED  STATES. 

NrvTBB  has  the  Week  of  Prayer  been  so  extensively 
and  pamestly  observed  among  us  as  this  year.  There 
•was  a  good  degree  of  preparation  for  it.  The  eccle- 
siastical bodies,  many  of  them,  had  reeommended  it 
at  their  annual  meetings  last  spring,  or  last  fall.  The 
religiou.s  and  even  the  secular  joiu-nals  had  given  notice 
iu  advance  of  the  places  and  times  for  the  public  and 
imit«l  prayer-meetings,  and  widely  promulged  the  pro- 
gramme of  the  subjects  of  prayer  which  had  been 
adopted.  There  had  been  a  good  degree  of  unanimity 
in  TTg.'irtl  to  these  subjects,  as  much  so  probably  as 
msld  be  expected.  The  one  grand  desire  of  all  hearts, 
fatwever  diversified  tlie  expression  of  it  might  be,  was 
that  the  Kingdom  of  God  might  come,  for  that  in- 
cludes every  blessing  that  humanity,  in  all  the  various 
phases  of  its  sidfering  and  misery,  needs — that  kingdom 
which  consists  in  '  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in 
the.  Holy  Ghost.'  In  this  city  of  New  York,  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  other  large  cities  and  to^Tis,  there  were 
tmited  meetings  in  central  places  every  day  in  addition 
to  in^l^^^dual  church-meetings  for  prayer.  They  were 
hr.ppy  seasons !  No  doubt  much  prayer  was  offered  at 
thd  domestic  altar  and  in  the  closet,  for  the  great 


objects  whose  promotion  was  sought  for — objects  so 
dear  to  the  hearts  of  all  true  Christians,  and  to  the 
Saviour  Himself. 

Of  course  tlie  Fulton  Street  Prayer-meeting  was  well 
attended.  It  may  also  be  readily  imagined,  that  the 
state  of  our  country,  which  fills  all  hearts  with  .so  much 
concern  was  not  forgotten.  It  was  the  burden  of  many 
an  earnest  praj'er.  Among  those  who  were  often  there, 
and  who  took  part,  either  in  prayer  or  exhoi-fcition,  was 
a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  now  well  advanced  in  years, 
the  Eev.  Dr.  Jmikin,  who  was  for  several  years  Presi- 
dent of  a  College  in  Central  A'^ii-ginia,  and  one  of  whose 
daughters  was  the  first  wife  of  General  '  StonewaU ' 
Jackson,  an  older  in  a  Presbyterian  church  in  that 
State,  and  one  of  the  best  'fighting'  generals  of  the 
rebels. 

We  have  seen  nothing  from  the  Confederate  States 
that  has  gi-atified  us  so  much  as  the  Pastoral  Letter 
from  the  Bishops  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
to  the  clergy  and  laity  of  that  Chm-ch  in  those  States. 
It  bears  the  date  of  the  22nd  of  last  November,  and  is 
said  to  be  from  the  pen  of  Bishop  Elliot,  of  Georgia. 
It  is  a'  Clu-istian  document,  and  breathes  a  spirit  of 
brotherly  love  towards  aU  that  love  God  in  aU  parts  of 
the  world,  that  is  most  refreshing  in  these  times  of 


March  2, 18(33. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


'  strife,  civil  war,  intense  excitement,  and,  in  too  many 
I  cases,  of  bitter  hatred.  Would  God  that  a  similar 
;  spirit  pen'aded  all  who  bear  the  name  of  Christ,  both 
I  South  and  North !  On  the  subject  of  slavery  it  speaks 
j  in  language  very  different  from  tliat  which  one  too 
I  often  sees  in  Southern  journals,  botli  religious  and 
secular,  as  the  following  extract  will  show : — 

'  The  time  has  come  when  the  Church  should  press 
more  urgently  than  she  has  hitherto  done  upon  her 
laity,  the  solemn  fact,  that  the  slaves  of  the  South  are 
not  merely  so  much  property,  but  are  a  sacred  trust 
committed  to  us,  as  a  people,  to  be  prepared  for  the 
I  work  which  God  may  have  for  them  to  do  in  the 
future.  While  under  this  tutelage  He  freely  gives  to 
us  their  labour,  but  expects  us  to  give  back  to  them 
that  religious  and  moral  instruction  which  is  to  elevate 
them  in  the  scale  of  Being.  And  while  inculcating 
this  truth,  the  Church  must  offer  more  freely  her  minis- 
trations for  their  benefit  and  improvement.  Her  laity 
must  set  the  example  of  readiness  to  fulfill  their  duty 
toward  these  people,  and  her  clergy  must  strip  them- 
selves of  pride  and  fastidiousness  and  indolence,  and 
rush,  with  the  zeal  of  martyrs,  to  this  labour  of  love. 

'  It  is  likewise  the  duty  of  tlio  Church  to  press  upon 
the  masters  of  the  country  their  obligation,  as  Christian 
men,  so  to  arrange  this  institution  as  not  to  necessitate 
the  violation  of  those  sacred  relations  which  God  has 
created,  and  which  man  cannot,  consistently  with 
Christian  duty,  annul.  The  systems  of  labour  which 
prevail  in  Europe,  and  wliieh  are,  in  many  respects, 
more  severe  than  ours,  are  so  arranged  as  to  prevent  all 
necessity  for  the  separation  of  parents  and  children, 
and  of  husbands  and  wives,  and  a  very  little  care  upon 
our  part,  would  rid  the  system  upon  which  we  are  about 
to  plant  our  national  life,  of  these  unchristian  features. 
It  belongs,  especially,  to  the  Episcopal  Church  to  urge 
a  proper  teaching  upon  this  subject,  for  in  her  fold  and 
in  her  congregations  are  found  a  very  large  proportion 
of  the  great  slaveholders  of  the  country.  We  rejoice 
to  be  enabled  to  say  that  the  public  sentiment  is  rapidly 
beeoming  sound  upon  tliis  subject,  and  tliat  the  Legis- 
latures of  several  of  the  Confederate  States  have  already 
taken  steps  towards  this  consummation.  Hitherto 
have  we  been  hindertd  by  the  pressure  of  AljoHtionism  ; 
now  tliat  we  have  thrown  off  from  us  that  liateful  and 
infidel  pestilence,  we  shoidd  prove  to  the  world  that 
we  are  faithful  to  our  trust,  and  the  Church  should 
lead  the  hosts  of  the  Lord  in  this  work  of  justice  and 
of  mercy.' 

I  am  bound  to  say  that  I  have  ever  thouglit  it  a 
great  want  of  moral  courage  in  our  Southern  brethren  to 
talk  so  much  as  they  used  to  do  about  the  '  Abolition- 
ists of  the  North,'  and  their  '  infidel  and  pestilent  senti- 
ments,' as  they  esteemed  them,  and  to  make  these 
things   an   excuse  for   not  holding  and  expressing 
Christian  opinions  in  regard  to  the  slaves,  and  doing 
thoir  duty  to  them.    It  remains  to  be  seen  whether 
they  will  go  to  work  and  instruct,   elevate,  and 
Christianise  the  African  race  among  them, — sustaining 
I     and  enforcing  the  marriage  relation,  the  relation  of 
I     parent-s  to  children,  and  all  tliose  other  rights  which 
I     belong  to  human  beings  in  all  circumstances,  and  which 
I    tliey  ouglit  certainly  to  possess  under  Cliristian  Go- 
Tenimeiifs. 

On  the  20th  of  Januarj-,  the  American  Colonisation 
Society  celebrated,  at  Washington  City,  its  4Gth  Anni- 
Tersary.  The  Hon.  Mr.  Latrobe,  of  Baltimore  (a  kinsman 
of  the  excellrnt  Rev.  Peter  Latrobe,  of  London,  whose 
name  appears  so  often  in  the  notices  of  the  meetings  of 
the  great  and  good  on  your  side  of  the  Atlantic),  pre- 
eidcd  on  the  occasion.  The  Annual  Report  was  read 
by  the  R(.v.  R.  R.  Gurly  ;  who  lias  for  many  years 
been  the  corresponding  Secrctaiy  of  tlie  Society.  Ad- 
dresses were  made  by  Admiral  Foote  (who  has  seen 

I    much  of  Liberia,  having  commanded  our  American 

I 


squadron  on  the  African  Coast  for  some  years),  and  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Kasson,  an  eloquent  representative  elect  to 
Congress  from  Iowa.  Both  these  addresses  were 
highly  interesting,  and  were  heard  with  attention  by 
a  large  and  intelligent  audience,  embracing  many 
members  of  both  Houses  of  Congres.?.  The  following- 
paragraphs  comprise  a  synopsis  of  the  Annual  Ee- 
port : — 

'  Since  tlie  last  Annual  Meeting  the  Society  has  been 
called  to  mourn  the  decease  of  no  less  than  eight  Vice- 
Presidents.  The  civil  war.  and  the  various  questions 
which  have  divided  and  distracted  the  minds  of  our 
free  people  of  colour,  have  prevented  any  large  emigra- 
tion during  the  year  to  Liberia.  Liberal  supplies  have, 
however,  been  transmitted,  and  some  ^^4,000  for  de- 
fraying expenses  and  making  improvements  in  that 
country,  while  tlie  principal  part  of  the  cargo  (the 
whole  cost  of  which  was  ^30,000)  was  shipped  in 
return  for  orders  sent  out  by  citizens  of  Liberia. 
Liberia  College,  a  splendid  edifice,  and  its  ample  and 
appropriate  accommodations,  spacious  s-urroundtng: 
grounds,  etc.,  are  described  at  considerable  length,  aad 
all  rejoice  at  their  completion. 

'  The  most  cheering  event  of  the  year  has  been  the 
acknowledgement  of  the  independence  of  Liberia  by  the 
United  States  of  America.  'The  noble  act  passed  the 
Senate  by  thirty-two  yeas  to  seven  nays,  and  subse- 
quently in  the  House  by  eighty-six  yeas  to  thirty-seven 
nays. 

'  Since  the  last  general  meeting,  Liberia  has  made 
good  progress  both  in  agriculture  and  trade.  OfiScial 
statements  of  her  exports  of  palm  oil,  camwood,  ivory, 
coffee,  sugar,  spices,  syrup,  and  other  articles,  to  Hol- 
land, England,  the  United  States,  and  other  countries, 
abundantly  prove  her  growth  and  prosperity — added  to 
which,  one  packet,  arrived  at  Liverpool,  brought  2,600 
ounces  of  gold  and  $\,200  in  specie,  whilst  a  second 
arrival  delivered  2,175  ounces  of  gold  and  a  full  cargo. 

'  The  extent  of  the  African  trade,  from  official  sources, 
is  stated,  in  1861,  at  82,449,740  ;  in  1862,  at  83,537,320. 

'  The  agriculture  of  Liberia  has  vastly  increased  during 
the  year,  especially  the  products  of  subsistence,  as  well 
as  tlie  crop  of  sugar-cane  and  coffee.  Several  citizens 
of  Liberia  have  from  1,000  to  3,000  pounds  of  coffee, 
and  several  are  profitably  engaged  in  the  culture  of 
sugar  cane.  One  citizen  has  promise  of  a  crop  of 
30,000  pounds  of  sugar,  and  has  also  purchased  500 
acres  of  land  on  the  Junk  river,  which  he  represents  as 
good  land  for  either  cotton  or  the  sugar  cane. 

'  The  labour  of  the  apprenticed  and  recaptured  Afri- 
cans has  contributed  very  mucli  to  the  improvement  of 
Liberia,  and  they  are  represented  as  making  rapid  pro- 
gress in  civilisation. 

'  From  the  report  of  the  able  Financial  Secretary,  the 
Rev.  Win.  McLain,  we  learn  that  during  the  year  the 
receipts,  including  the  amount  from  the  United  States 
on  account  of  the  recaptured  Africans,  are  Si 29, 836  50 
Payments  made,  including  those  on  ac- 
count of  the  Africans  referred  to        .     104,765  14 


Balance   25,071  3S 

'  The  reading  of  this  report  was  listened  to  with  pro- 
found attention,  and  on  its  conclusion  it  was  luiaai- 
mously  adopted.' 

Tlic  testimony  which  Admiral  Footo  bore  to  thi- 
feasibility  of  the  colonisation  scheme,  and  tlie  prosperous 
condition  of  the  colony  of  Liberia,  was  emphatic.  The 
colony  has  now  a  coast  line  of  600  miles ;  the  population 
is  200,000,  of  which  about  10,000  are  colonists  from 
America,  but  of  tlie  African  race.  The  climate  becomes 
more  salubrious  as  the  country  becomi's  cultivated. 
At  the  distance  of  from  10  to  30  miles  the  country 
becomes  hilly  and  sub-mountainous.  Admiral  Footx" 
spoke  in  the  highest  terms  of  the  good  order  which  he 
saw  in  the  colony,  and  of  the  respectable  manner  in 


54 


Maech  2,  1863. 


which  the  President,  Legislature,  and  Judges  fulfil 
their  respective  duties.  Without  doubt,  tliis  colony  is 
destined  to  exert  a  great  and  happy  influence  u])on  the 
future  of  the  African  race  in  these  United  States.  It 
■will  be  to  them  what  America  has  been  to  poor  and 
oppressed  people  of  Europe.  The  Colonisation  enter- 
prise is  soon  to  become  one  of  the  most  glorious  of  all 
human  undertakings.  The  events,  and  still  more  the 
issue,  of  0111  present  unhappy  war  will  demonstrate 
this.  But  want  of  space  forbids  my  saying  more  on 
this  topic  at  present. 

On  Monday,  the  19th  day  of  January,  there  assembled 
nearly  600  ministers  of  the  gospel,  chiefly  of  the 
Grei'man  Eeformed  Church,  in  the  old  church-edifice  of 
that  body  in  Race-street,  Phihidelphia,  to  take  part  in 
the  tercentenary  celebration  of  the  adoption  and  pro- 
mulgation of  tile  Heidelberg  Catechism.  The  preli- 
minary services  commenced  on  the  Saturdiiy  evening 
previous,  and  were  continued  in  the  preaching  of 
sermons  and  the  communion,  on  the  Sabbath.  These 
introductor}'  services  were  exceedingly  interesting  and 
edifying.  On  Monday  morning,  as  we  luuve  stated,  the 
business  sessions  commenced,  which  were  continued  till 
near  midnight  on  Fridaj'.  Tlie  Eev.  John  W.  Nevin, 
D.D.,  a  very  celebrated  minister,  and  long  a  Professor 
in  the  Theological  Seminary  of  this  branch  of  the 
Protestant  Church  at  Mercersburg,  Pctnnsylvania, 
presided,  and  opened  the  meeting  with  an  able  address 
on  the  origin  and  characteristics  of  the  German  Ee- 
formed Church. 

Papers,  or  reports,  on  the  following  subjects  were 
submitted  to  the  Convention,  all  prepared  for  the  occa- 
sion. It  will  be  seen  that  the  first  four  wen;  from  the 
pens  of  distinguished  theologians  in  Germany  :— 

1.  The  Swiss  Keformer.  By  Prof  Dr.  Ilerzog,  of 
Erlangen,  Germany. 

2.  The  City  and  University  of  Heidelberg,  with 
special  reference  to  the  Reformation  Period,  and  time 
of  the  formation  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism.  By 
Prof.  Dr.  Hundeshagen,  of  Heidelberg,  Gemany. 

3.  The  Heidelberg  Catechism  Lu  the  Palatinate.  By 
Prelate  Dr.  Ullman,  of  Carlsruhe,  Germany. 

4.  Melanchthon,  and  the  Melanchtlionian  Tendency  in 
Germany.  By  Prof.  Dr.  Ebrard,  of  Erlangen,  Ger- 
many. 

5.  Introduction  to  the  Heidelberg  Catechism.  By 
Eev.  Dr.  J.  W.  Nevin,  of  Lancaster,  Pa. 

6.  The  Elector  Frederick  III.  of  the  Palatinate.  By 
Rev.  Dr.  B.  S.  Schneek,  of  Chambersburg,  Pa. 

7.  Tlie  Authors  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism.  By 
Prof.  L.  C.  Porter,  of  Liuicaster,  Pa. 

8.  The  Relation  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechisms  to  the 
various  Confessions.  By  Rev.  Dr.  E.  V.  Gerhart,  of 
Lancaster,  Pa. 

9.  The  Fortimes  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechisms  in 
America.    By  Rev.  Dr.  Bomberger,  of  Philadelphia. 

10.  The  Theological  System  of  the  Heidelberg  Cate- 
chism in  its  Theoretical  and  Practical  Aspects.  By 
Eev.  Dr.  M.  Kieflfer,  of  Tiffin.  Oliio. 

11.  The  Heidelberg  Catechism  in  the  Protestant  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church.  By  Eev.  Dr.  De  Witt,  of  New 
York. 

12.  The  most  noted  Pulpit  Orators  of  the  Eeformed 
Church.  By  Eev.  Dr.  J.  F.  Berg,  of  New  Brunswick, 
New  Jersey. 

13.  The  Genius  and  Mission  of  the  German  Eefonned 
Church  in  Eelation  to  the  Roman  Catholic,  the  Lu- 
theran, and  to  those  Branches  of  the  Reformed  Church 
which  are  not  German.  By  Rev.  Prof.  T.  Appel,  of 
Lancast<>r,  Pa. 

14.  The  Mission  of  the  German  Reformed  Church 
in  America.  By  Prof  Dr.  P.  Schaff,  of  Mercersburg, 
Penn. 

15.  The  Theologicid  Seminary  at  Merceraburg.  By 
Rev.  Dr.  B.  C.  WolfiF. 


16.  The  Necessity  and  Use  of  Creeds.  By  Rev.  G. 
B.  Russell,  of  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

17.  The  Organism  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism. 
By  Rev.  T.  Appel,  of  Greencastle,  Pa. 

18.  Catechetics  and  Catechetical  In.struction.  By 
Rev.  B.  Bausman,  of  Chambersburg,  Pa. 

19.  Tlie  Educational  System  of  Rehgion.  By  Rev. 
Dr.  Gans,  of  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

20.  Creed  and  Cultus.  By  Eev.  Dr.  H.  Harbauch,, 
of  Lebanon,  Pa. 

Two  of  the  above-named  authoi's  (Drs.  De  Witt  and 
Berg)  belong  to  the  Eeformed  Dutch  Church,  which 
bod}'  is  as  much  interested  in  the  Heidelberg  Catechism 
as  the  German  Reformed  Church. 

Take  it  all  in  all,  this  Heidelberg  Catechism  celebra- 
tion has  been  the  most  remarkable  event  in  tlie  history 
of  our  American  German  Churdi,  and  certainly  consti- 
tutes a  most  important  epoch  in  it.  May  a  rich  blessing 
from  the  Master  follow  what  was  said  and  done  on  the 
occasion  ! 

I  may  add  that  the  Rev.  Doctor  Berg,  above  spoken 
of,  is  Professor  of  Theologj'  in  the  Seminary  of  the 
Eeformed  Dutch  Church  at  New  Brunswick,  New 
Jersey,  and  editor  of  T7ie  Evangelical  Quarterly.  It 
is  annomiccd  in  the  Christian  Intelligencer  that  this 
distinguished  scholar  and  tlieologian  has  just  com- 
pleted the  translation  of  Van  Allen's  very  able  work 
on  the  History  and  Literature  oj  the  Heidelberg  Cate- 
chism, and  its  Introduction  into  the  Netherlands.  It 
will  fill  the  forthcoming  number  of  the  Evangelical 
Quarterly,  and  will  immediately  thereafter  be  put  into 
a  book-form  for  general  use.  By  these  various  means 
our  American  Christian  public  is  likely  to  bo  made 
better  acquainted  with  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  its 
authorship,  and  its  great  excellence  as  a  summary  of 
Cliristian  doctrine  and  duty.  The  effect  cannot  fail 
(with  God's  blessing)  to  be  good. 

The  United  States  Christian  Commission  held  its  first 
annual  meetuig  in  Pliiladelpliia  on  the  night  of  the 
29th  January.  George  H.  Stuart,  Esq.  presided.  It 
was  a  large  and  interesting  meeting.  Addresses  wore 
delivered  by  the  Eev.  Dr.  Patterson  of  Chicago, 
Bishop  Simpson  (of  the  Metliodist  church),  CoL 
Bowman,  WiUiam  E.  Dodge,  Esq.,  and  ex-Governor  Pol- 
lock. I  ejiclose  a  sjmopsis  of  the  Annual  Report.  The 
seci'etaiy  informs  me  '  that  if  the  gi-atuitous  services  of 
the  many  delegates  to  the  seat  of  war,  and  the  railroad 
and  telegraph  facilities  and  others  freely  given  us  were  all 
paid  for  at  the  usual  rates,  I  am  confident  that  the 
figures  of  our  receipts  and  disbursements — which  hiive 
been  mainly  within  the  last  six  months — would  be 
swelled  to  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  million  of  dollars.' 

The  work  of  the  Commission,  together  with  that  of 
the  various  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  and 
Army  Committees  coopei-ating  witli  it,  is,  when  summed 
up,  as  follows  : — 

Cash  disbursed  for  expenses,  stores  and 

publications  $  40,160  29 

Value  of  stores  and  publications  di.stributed 

by  the  Commi.ssion     .       .       .       .8142,150  00 

Cliristian  ministers  and  laymen  com- 
missioned to  minister,  at  the  seat  of 
war,  to  men  on  battlefield,  and  in 
camps  and  liospitals    ....  366 

Christians  actively  working  with  the  Army 

Committees  in  the  home  work     .       .  1,033 

Meetings  held  vnXh.  soldiers  and  sailors, 

exclusive  of  those  at  the  seat  of  war     .  3,945 

Public  meetings  held  on  behalf  of  the 

soldiers  and  sailors      ....  188 

Bibles  and  testaments  distributed   .       .  102,660 

Books  (largo  and  small),  for  soldiers  and 

.sailors,  distributed      ....  115,757 

Mag.azines  and  pamphlets,  religious  and 

sebular,  distributed     ....  34,653 


MAEcn  2, 186a 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCp. 


55 


Soldiers'  and  sailors'  hymn   and  psalm 

books,  distributed       ....  130,697 

Tapers  distributed   384,781 

Pages  of  tracts,  &c.  distributed      .       .  10,953,706 
Temperance  documents  distributed         .  300,000 
Libraries  supplied  to  hospitals,  &c.         .  23 
Boxes  and  barrels  of  stores  and  publi- 
cations distributed      .       .       .       .  3,691 

I  hare  not  room  to  say  more  than  a  word  or  two 
about  our  war.  There  have  been  no  hard  battles  since 
our  defeats  at  Fredericksburg  and  Vieksburg,  and  our 
success  at  Miu^reesboro'  (January  1  &  2).  The  federal 
forces  liave  had  some  brilliant  successes  on  the  Arkan- 
sas and  White  Rivers,  in  the  State  of  Arkansas.  TJie 
rebels  made,  on  the  1st  of  Feb.,  a  raid  from  the  harbour 
of  Charleston,  but  it  amounted  to  but  little.  Whilst  I 
write  (Feb.  7th),  we  are  in  daily  expectation  of  receiv- 
ing intelligence  of  another  attack  on  Vieksburg  by 
Generals  MeClemand  and  Grant,  and  an  attack, 
mainly  from  the  water,  upon  Charleston,  S.C. 

Never  were  our  affairs  in  a  more  serious  and  difficult 
position.  But  the  farther  wo  go,  it  becomes  more  and 
more  evident  that  the  war  is  turning  more  and  more  to 
be  a  war  against  African  slavoiy.  As  to  restoring  the 
Union  as  it  was,  with  slavery  as  it  was,  it  is  becoming 
more  and  more  manifest  that  it  is  impossible.  The 
rebels  do  not  want  to  come  back  into  the  Union  on  any 
terms.  They  desire  independence,  with  slavery  as  the 
chief  corner-stone  of  tlieir  government.  Shall  they  be 
allowed  to  go?  If  so,  where  is  to  be  the  line  of  sepa- 
ration ?  What  the  future  relations  betwe(>n  the  Free 
North,  and  the  Slav^-holding  South?  And  what  the 
future  of  Mexico  I'.nd  the  AV'est  India  Islands?  These 
are  grave  questions  upon  whose  consideration  I  cannot 
enter  now. 

New  York,  Feb.  1863. 


NORTH-WEST  AMERICA. 

Thk  Rev.  W.  AV.  Kirby  gives  an  account  of  a  summer 
journey  in  which  he  travelled  into  the  Arctic  regions, 
having  gone,  it  is  supposed,  farther  north  in  this  direc- 
tion than  any  missionary  previously.    He  writes  : — 

'  Our  goocl  Bishop  expressed  a  desire  tlial  I  should 
visit,  as  <'arly  as  possible,  some  spot  where  the  light  of 
divine  truth  had  not  yet  reached ;  and  being  very  anxious 
to  testify  my  gratitude  for  the  many  favours  I  have 
received  from  him,  I  resolved  to  visit  the  Yoncon,  the 
very  first  opportunity  that  I  had.  I  went  accordingly 
in  a  small  canoe,  paddled  by  two  Cliristian  Indians. 
We  followed  the  iee  down  the  river  Mackenzie,  staying 
awhile  with  Indians  wherever  we  saw  them  encamped, 
and  remaining  tlrree  or  four  days  at  each  of  the  forts 
along  the  route.  At  Fort  Nonnan,  according  to  a]> 
pointment,  my  catechist  met  me  with  his  little  band  from 
Bear  Lake,  and  a  very  hapjiy  time  I  spent  with  them. 
When  near  to  Good  llojie,  I  met  Mr.  Grellier  (the 
Roman  Catholic  priest).  There  were  not  many  Indians 
at  the  Fort,  but  most  of  those  present  attended  my 
sen'ices,  and  appeared  glad  of  my  \-isit.  The  opposing 
ones  wen'  very  bitter,  but  they  left  the  day  after  my 
arrival.  A  few  days  after  leaving  there,  I  had  tlie 
honour  of  being  thr  first  missionary  on  tliis  continent 
to  erect  tlie  standard  of  the  Cross  within  the  Arctic 
regions  ;  for  on  coming  up  to  a  band  of  Indians,  I  de- 
termiuefl  to  spend  the  n>mainder  of  the  day  and  all 
night  with  tltem,  to  tell  of  "  Chi-i,st  and  him  crucified." 
They  wei-e  mucli  delighted,  jioor  creatures,  at  the  ghid 
tiding."!  I  hud  brought  to  thcni,  and  alTected  me  not  a 
little  by  their  kind  and  earnest  entreaties  that  I  would 
not  venture  farther,  lest  miscliief  should  befall  me  from 
the  Eskimo,  of  whom  tlu  y  appeared  much  afraid.  I 
told  them  of  my  trust  in  (tod,  and  of  my  willingness, 
if  noF-ds  be,  to  die  in  His  cause  ;  and  then  reminded 


them  that  by  not  even  "counting  my  life  dear  unto 
myself,"  I  gave  tliem  the  greatest  proof  possible  of  my 
desire  that  botli  they  and  their  countrymen  might  be 
saved.  This  silenced  but  did  not  satisfy  them ;  for  one 
man,  who  could  speak  a  little  Eskimo,  at  once  volun- 
teered to  accompany  us  to  Peel's  River  without  fee  or 
reward,  which  ho  most  kindly  did.  The  next  day  -sre 
came  to  another  camp  of  about  forty  Indians,  where  I 
also  remained  a  long  time,  and  where  the  same  results 
attended  my  visit,  even  to  another  Indian,  who  could 
also  speak  Eskimo,  offering  to  accompany  us.  His 
services  were  also  gladly  accepted,  and  very  thankful 
did  I  afterwards  feel  that  tliey  had  come  ;  indeed,  if 
tliey  had  not,  I  much  fear  for  the  consequences.  May 
God  bless  them,  wherever  they  may  now  be,  for  their  ■ 
kindness  aiid  faithfulness ! 

'  We  had  now  three  canoes,  and  went  gliding  along 
down  tlie  widening  current  till  we  came  near  to  Point 
Separation :  there  we  met  the  first  party  of  Eskimo, 
and,  shortly  after  those,  tliree  or  four  other  parties,  all 
of  whom  were  exceedingly  troublesome,  and  oven  dan- 
gerous. They  appeared  friendly  at  first,  until  they  got 
us  pretty  well  in  their  power,  and  then  they  tried  to 
steal  everything  that  we  had.  But  by  the  ability  of 
th(^  two  Indians  to  speak  to  them,  and  the  firmness  and 
decision  of  all  of  us,  I  lost  nothing  save  my  shoes  and 
stockings,  and  a  few  things  of  that  kind.  They  were 
well  armed  with  deadly-looking  knives,  spears,  and 
aiTows ;  but  the  Indians  being  four  in  number,  and 
with  a  gun  each,  they  did  not  offer  any  personal 
™lence. 

'  We  wore  now  within  a  day  and  a  half  of  the  Arctic 
Sea ;  and  much  as  I  longed  to  push  to  it,  we  did 
not  think  it  either  ^vise  or  prudent  to  venture  farther 
\vith  .so  small  a  party  :  we  therefore  hastened  to  Peel's 
River,  where  I  found  a  very  large  party  of  Loucheux 
Indians  waiting  to  see  me.  They  received  me  very 
cordially,  and  listened  most  attentively  and  thankfully 
to  the  story  of  the  Cross.  There  were  also  forty  or  fifty 
Eskimo  present,  but  from  want  of  an  efficient  interpreter 
I  fear  they  did  not  learn  much.  They  were,  however, 
veiy  obedient,  and  manifested  a  desire  to  know  all  they 
could,  by  attending  even  the  Indian  sen-ices.  There  I 
left  my  canoe,  and  wishing  my  poor  faithful  Indians 
good-bye,  and  taking  two  others  who  knew  the  way, 
walked  over  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  Lapierre's  House. 
This  part  of  the  journey  tried  me  verj'  much,  for  I  am 
really  unable  to  endure  the  fatigue  of  walking  far.  But 
it  was  not  tlie  distance  that  wearied  me  (it  being  only 
about  one  hundred  miles)  so  much  as  the  badness  of 
the  walking,  and  the  myriads  of  mosquitoes  which  tor- 
mented me  day  and  night ;  for  I  had  no  tent  to  sleep 
in,  it  being  too  heavy  to  carrj-  across ;  so  that,  from 
Peel's  River  to  the  Yoncon  and  back  (six  weeks'  jour- 
ney) I  just  rolled  myself  in  my  blanket  and  .slept 
through  fine  or  rain.  And  from  the  day  I  left  home  to 
my  return,  I  never  either  slept  iu  a  bed  or  without  my 
clothes.  There  was,  however,  no  great  hardship  in  this, 
nor  do  I  wish  to  produce  that  impression  on  your  minds. 
I  wisli  only  to  relate  our  mode  of  travelling  here. 

'  The  poor  Indians  crowded  upon  me  here  from  morn- 
ing to  night.  But,  correctly  sjieaking,  tliere  was  "  no 
night  there,"  nor  yet  at  Peel's  River,  and  often,  with 
deep  interest,  did  I  watch  the  course  of  the  sun  through- 
out the  whole  twenty-foiu-  hours.  After  remaining  there 
eight  or  nine  days,  a  boat  came  up  from  the  Y'oncon 
with  furs,  bj'  which  I  went  dowai  on  its  return.  Four 
or  five  days  of  drifting  and  rowing  down  the  sswift 
current  of  th(>  Porcupine  River  brought  us  to  the  Fort, 
which  we  reached  early  in  thi'  morning  of  the  6th  or 
.July.  It  is  situated  about  two  miles  almve  the  con- 
fluence of  tlio  Porcupine  and  Yoncon  Rivers,  on  the 
bank  of  the  latter,  whence  it  derives  its  name.  There 
were  about  tiv(!  hun<lred  Indians  present,  all  of  whom 
were  much  surprised,  but  very  glad  to  seo  me  there. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  March  2,  1863. 


56 


I    Mr.  Loekhart,  the  gentleman  in  charge,  gave  me  a 
hearty  welcome,  and,  in  a  very  kind  and  appropriate 
address,  introduced  me  to  the  Indians.    They  are  a 
bold,  turbulent,  and  cruel  race,  resembling  far  more 
nearly  the  worst  of  the  Plain  tribes,  than  the  quiet 
Chipewyans  of  the  Mackenzie  Valley.    Medicine  men 
'   have  great  authority  among  them.    Mirrders  are  very 
i    common,  and  almost  everyone   of   them  has  several 
wives.    I  commenced  my  labours  among  them  with 
much  fear  and  trembling,  but  confidently  looking  to 
God  for  help  and  strength,  and  cannot  doubt  that  both 
were  abimdantly  given.     After  the  first  service,  the 
principal  chief  made  a  long  speech,  full  of  good  sense 
and  shrewd  remark,  and  all  in  favour  of  me  and  my 
•message.    His  influence  over  the  other  Indians  is  all- 
powerful,  so  that  my  course  was  at  once  clear;  and, 
1     with  a  heart  swelling  with  gratitude  to  God,  I  set  to 
[    work  in  earnest  to  make  the  most  of  my  golden  oppor- 
I    tunity.    Three  times  a  day  we  had  service  all  together 
outside,  and  the  times  between  were  occupied  by  their 
coming  to  my  room,  in  regular  divisions,  for  conver- 
sation, more  special  instruction,  and  to  learn  the  Ten 
Commandments,  a  liymn  and  prayer  that  I  had  trans- 
lated for  them.    Tlie  hjTnn  they  soon  knew,  and  in  a 
day  or  two  could  all  sing  it  very  nicely,  as  well  as  re- 
peat pretty  well  the  prayer,  which  was  a  reflection  of  it. 

And  to  the  honour  of  God's  grace  I  must  declare, 
that  so  greatly  did  he  bless  these  simple  services  to 
them,  that,  before  I  left,  the  medicine  men  openly 
renounced  their  craft,  murderers  confessed  their  crimes, 
polygamists  gave  up  their  wives,  and  mothers  told  of 
their  having  killed  their  own  children,  till  it  sickened 
one  to  hear,  and  then  all  begged  for  pardon  and  for 
grace.  Oh,  it  was  a  goodly  siglit  to  see  that  vast 
number,  none  of  whom  had  ever  bent  a  knee  before  in 
prayer,  now  kneeling  daily  before  God's  footstool  in 
supplication  and  praise  !  I  was  in  an  ecstiisy  of  plea- 
sure the  whole  time  ;  and  even  now,  much  as  I  dread 
the  mountains,  I  am  really  longing  for  May  to  return, 
that  I  may  go  again  to  see  whether  the  good  work  was 
permanent  or  not.  The  Fort,  I  imagine,  is  not  more 
than  five  or  six  hundred  miles  from  Behring's  Straits, 
as  a  small  party  from  there  were  present.  Delighted 
shoidd  I  have  been  to  return  with  them,  but  time  would 
not  permit.  However,  if  they  were  enabled  to  take 
back  the  precious  truths  they  received  to  their  friends 
and  relatives,  the  glorious  gospel  will  have,  soon,  its 
mighty  way  in  that  direction,  across  the  whole  con- 
tinent. 


WEST  INDIES. 

The  Caymanas  are  three  islands  about  two  hundred 
niiles  north-west  from  Jamaica,  of  which  they  are 
nominally  a  dependency.  Two  of  them  are  very  small, 
and  together  contain  scarcely  a  hundred  inhabitants. 
Grand  Cayman,  the  scene  of  my  labours,  is  nearly 
thirty  miles  long,  by  five  or  six  broad.  It  stands  only 
a  few  feet  above  the  sea,  and  in  a  late  memorable  h\ir- 
ricane  much  of  it  was  entirely  submerged.  It  is  seen 
only  nine  miles  oiF.  Its  verdant  shore-line  and  houses 
of  singiilar  whiteness  give  it  an  almost  paradisean 
aspect  from  the  sea,  and  I  can  suppose  a  man  sated 
with  the  world's  pleasure,  and  wearied  of  its  strife,  to 
fancy,  as  he  approached  it,  that  he  had  liglited  at  length 
on  an  elysian  resting-  place.  Much  of  it  is  rocky 
and  marshy,  but  it  has  a  large  proportion  of  productive 
soil,  from  which  the  usual  tropical  vegetables  and  fruits 
are,  or  might  be,  raised.  Its  climate,  though  humid,  is 
healthy,  and  it  enjoys  entire  immimity  from  yellow 
fever,  cholera,  small-pox,  and  other  malignant  epide- 
mics, probably  because,  from  its  extreme  flatness,  the 
eea-breezes  sweep  its  surface  so  thoroughly.  Like 


similar  islands,  it  is  surrounded  by  a  low  and  dangerous 
reef,  which  has  been  the  destroyer  of  many  a  noble 
vessel,  and  on  which,  tradition  says,  ten  English  ships, 
under  convoy,  went  to  pieces  by  following  in  a  line,  on 
a  stormy  night  of  last  century.  Homeward-bound 
merchantmen  often  call  for  turtle,  and  war-ships  would 
occasionally  put  in  for  water  and  pro^•isions. 

Little  is  known  of  its  historj',  and  that  little  is 
entirely  traditional.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  first 
inhabited  by  buccaneers  from  the  American  main,  and 
a  few  of  Cromwell's  soldiery  from  Jamaica.  British 
and  American  sailors  wrecked  in  the  surrounding  seas, 
and  Cuban  outlaws,  found  refuge  and  remained  on  it. 
Negroes  were  brought  to  it  from  Jamaica,  and  even 
Africa  ;  occasionally  tliey  escaped  to  it  from  Cuba,  and 
slavery  existed  as  in  the  other  English  islands  until  the 
year  of  emancipation.  Its  inhabitants  were  long  noted 
an^  dreaded  for  their  semi-piratical  habits.  Much  is 
told  of  their  contraband  and  plundering  courses,  and  it 
is  just  to  add,  much  also  of  their  having  saved  many 
lives  from  tlie  wrecks  inevitable  amid  the  periodic 
storms  of  the  Caribbean  Sea. 

At  present  the  island  has  above  two  thousand  inha- 
bitants, distributed  in  nine  villages  or  hamlets  (two  are 
called  towns),  all  situated  on  the  coast,  and,  with  one 
exception,  on  the  southern  shore.  They  are  named, 
West  Bay,  George  Town,  South- West  Sound,  Prospect 
Bodden  Town,  Frank's  Sound,  East  End,  Gun  Bay, 
and  North  Side.  One-third  of  the  people  are  white, 
the  others  l)laek  or  coloured.  They  cultivate  land  and 
rear  cattle  ;  and  many  go  to  sea  in  small  schooners,  of 
which  thoy  have  twenty-four,  to  catch  turtle,  and 
search  for  OTecks. 

The  government  of  the  Cayman  is  unsatisfactory  and 
anomalous.  It  has  no  authorised  rule.  The  Legisla- 
ture of  Jamaica  practically  outlaws  it,  but  it  will  pro- 
bably receive  soon  from  the  Governor  of  tliat  island  a 
code  of  laws  and  a  resident  magistrate.  It  may  be  said 
of  CajTuan  as  of  Laish,  '  The  people  that  are  therein 
dwell  careless,  quiet,  and  secure,  and  there  is  no  magis- 
trate in  the  land  that  might  put  them  to  shame  in  any- 
thing, and  th(>y  have  no  business  with  any  man.' 

Various  missions  have  been  established  in  Grand 
Cayman  within  the  past  fifty  years.  It  was  long  oc- 
cupied, first  by  the  Church  of  England,  and  then  by  the 
Wesleyans.  These  missions  were  withdrawn,  and  tlirough 
an  interval  of  many  years,  the  island  was  entirely  des- 
titute of  the  means  of  grace,  and  the  people,  left  to 
themselves,  relapsed  into  lawless  immorality,  until  their 
'  last  state  '  seemed  to  be  '  worse  than  their  first'  The 
United  Presbyterian  Church  of  Jamaica,  sanctioned  by 
the  parent  Church  in  Scotland,  sent  the  Eev.  James 
Elmslie,  as  its  missionary,  to  the  Cayman  in  1846. 
Mr.  Elmslie's  'ministry,  was,  from  the  first,  signally 
blessed.  Sabbath-breaking  and  intemperance  were 
arrested,  and  to  a  large  extent  abandoned,  and  general 
reformation  of  character  appeared.  The  scattered  state 
of  the  population  necessitated  five  (now  six)  preaching 
stations,  six,  eight,  ten,  and  twelve  miles  apart,  from 
which  two  congregations  have  been  organised,  which 
together  number  800  worshippers,  and  400  communi- 
cants. There  are  eight  Sabbath  schools,  attended 
by  600,  and  five  week-day  schools,  which  have  ISC' 
scholars. 

I  came  out  in  1857  to  share  the  work  with  Mr. 
Elmslie,  and  he  has  since  retained  the  western,  and  I 
have  wrought  the  eastern  section  of  the  island.  Besides 
the  routine  of  classes,  household  visitation,  etc.,  we  have 
usually  preached  at  two  stations  each  Lord's-day,  and 
as  often  as  we  could  at  the  other  stations  through  the 
the  week.  Physically,  the  work  is  very  trying.  None 
here,  I  am  assured,  ever  attempted,  or  would  attempt 
regularly  to  travel  the  roads  in  my  division  of  the 
island,  and,  I  fear,  no  European  labourer  could  do  so 
long.    My  journeys  are  made,  usually,  under  the  full 


March  2,  1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAX  CHURCH. 


57 


heat  of  the  sun,  on  native  ponies,  unsliod,  over  iron- 
bound,  honey-combed  cliifsi  for  many  miles. 

Excepting  about  twenty  Piyraouth  Brethren,  all  pro- 
fessing the  Christian  faith  in  the  Grand  Cayman  are 
Presbyterians.  Various  obstacles  to  the  reception  of  the 
truth  elsewhere  do  not  exist  here.  There  is  little  scepti- 
cism. I  know  only  one  infidel.  The  superstitions  of  the 
people  are  not  so  important  as  to  be  a  serious  hindrance 
to  the  missionary  ;  they  assent  readily  to  the  claims  of 
the  gospel ;  they  respect  its  genuine  professors,  and 
I  often  patiently  receive  the  most  pointed  and  faitliful 
rebukes  of  sin.  The  faith  of  converts  seems  singularly 
childlike  and  complete.  The  spiritual  darkness  and 
conflict  of  thoughtful  Christians  have  little  place  in 
their  simple  minds. 

One  of  my  stations — East  End — shared  in  some 
measure  the  remarkable  awakening  lately  experienced 
in  Jamaica.  Much  of  it,  however,  I  regret  to  say,  was 
spurious.  Spasmodic  shocks  were  felt  in  other  districts 
of  the  island,  with  few  or  no  lasting  residts.  "We  xn- 
gently  need  a  genuine  revival  in  a  resurrection  of  the 
Church,  and  a  birth  to  life  of  many  hundred  souls. 

Our  difficulties  mainly  arise  from  the  habits  of  the 
people.    Their  wrecking  practices  operate  most  unhap- 
pily against  us.  Many  vessels  are  wilfully,  it  is  affirmed, 
wrecked  in  the  adjacent  seas.    The  ship  to  be  put 
away  is  run  ashore  in  smooth  shallow  water,  where 
there  is  little  or  no  danger  to  life,  on  one  of  the  '  Keys ' 
between  this  and  Cuba.    Caymanas  vessels,  usually 
near,  bring  the  crew  and  cargo  hither ;  the  latter  is 
sold,  and  the  proceeds  divided  between  the  wrecked 
crew  and  their  finders,  and  the  former  get  home  by 
Jamaica  or  America,  though  many  of  them  prefer  to 
settle  in  Grand  Cayman.    The  connexion  of  the  Cay- 
manians  with  this  nefarious  system  may  not  be  legally 
punishable,  but  it  has  a  mournful  influence  on  their 
character,  which  is,  in  truth,  peculiarly  unlovely.  The 
selfishness,  covetousncss,  deceit,  and  heartlesness  of 
human  nature  arc  rankly  developed  here.    The  moral 
feelings  are  blunted  and  degraded.    There  are  very 
few,  indeed,  whom  one  can  entii'cly  trust.    Too  many 
are  -without '  natural  aflTection.'    Disputes  on  rights  of 
property  are  perpetual.    Murders,  particularly  of  ille- 
gitimate infants,  are  frequent.    It  is  more  than  sus- 
pected that  several  church  members,  white  and  coloured, 
have  lately  engaged  in  the  slave  trade  on  the  coast  of 
Cuba.    And  in  addition  to  wliat  is  peculiar  to  the  Cay- 
manas, we  have,  as  in  the  West  Indies  generally,  the 
'  image  and  superscription  '  of  the  reign  of  slavery  ; 
aboimding  licentiousness  in  the  form  of  abominable 
midnight  dances,  etc. ;  active  opposition  of  Satan's 
emissaries,  '  whose  glory  is  iu  their  shame  ; '  and,  what 
is  most  distressing  of  all,  the  testimony  borne  by  the 


character  of  most  British  residents  against  the  gospel. 
Much  of  our  work  is  uncompromising  exposure  of  che- 
rished sin  ;  but  our  comfort  is  that,  rude  and  vile  as  our 
materials  are,  they  may  be  '  washed,  sanctified,  and 
justified,'  and  adorned  with  'the  beauty  of  the  Lord,' 
and  presented  '  to  Himself  a  glorious  Church.' 

The  complete  isolation  of  the  field  is,  perhaps,  our 
heaviest  trial,  as  it  makes  all  other  trials  more  severely 
felt.  The  loneliness  is  extreme,  and  often  wellnigh 
insupportable.  The  island  is  a  '  Patmos ; '  even  with 
the  whole  heart  and  everj'  hour  devoted  to  the  highest 
and  happiest  work  on  earth,  the  social  influences  of 
society  are  needed,  for  the  missionaiy  is  a  '  man  of  like 
passions '  with  oth(>rs.  But  in  the  Caymanas  these  are 
not  to  be  foimd.  Wo  dare  not  make  our  best  people 
companions ;  we  are  far  from  bretliren  ;  and  are  often 
shut  out  from  communication  with  Britain  for  several 
months.  Yet  many  a  fellow-worker  has  a  similar  tale 
to  tell.  Only  close  fellowship  with  the  Master  can 
sustain  the  missionary  in  the  freshness  of  zeal  under 
the  chilling,  crushing  influences  of  his  awful  solitude. 

The  value  of  native  lay  agency  has  been  tested  here 
for  many  years.  It  has  had  full  scope  from  the  first  ; 
indeed,  the  work  at  most  of  the  stations  could  not  have 
been  sustained  without  it.  Laymen  have  taught  the 
Sabbath  schools  and  candidate  classes,  and  preached  to, 
and  largely  helped  to  form,  the  congregations.  I  do  not 
say  their  labours  have  WTOught  solely  for  good  to  them- 
selves or  the  people.  Some — chiefly  intelligent  though 
careless  Englishmen — have  abandoned  the  sanctuary 
in  the  missionary's  absence.  '  Novices '  have  been 
'  lifted  uj)  with  pride,'  and  the  teachers  have  still  '  need 
that  one  teach  them  the  first  principles  of  the  oracles 
of  God ; '  but  of  this  I  am  assured,  that  lay  agency  has 
done  good,  and  cannot  be  spared  here.  It  may  fail  in 
more  enlightened  communities ;  yet  when  I  see  what  a 
few  comparatively  untaught  Caymanians  have  done  in 
their  island  for  Clirist,  I  ask  what  the  members  of  his 
church  in  Britain  might  not  do  for  him  there?  and 
believe  that  when  all  who  know  Christ  shall  make  him 
known,  the  world's  mission  field  will  soon  be  occupied 
and  its  harvest  reaped. 

We  have  hope  for  the  Ca^Tnanas.  They  shall  be  won 
for  Him  for  whom  they  have  been  claimed.  The  foun- 
dations of  a  work  have  been  laid  that  shall  rise  when 
our  day  of  labour  shall  have  closed,  till  the  copestono 
be  brought  forth  with  shoutings  of  '  Grace,  grace  unto 
it.'  Your  readers  have  the  world  before  them,  and  we 
can  ask  but  a  fraction  of  th(ir  prayerful  interest  for 
our  lonely  isle  ;  but  if  that  be  given,  it  may  become  an 
'Eden,  the  garden  of  the  Lord,'  fruitful,  beautiful,  and 
glorious  to  his  praise. 

Grand  Caj-man,  Dec.  1863. 


IN  MEMOEIAM. 


EDWARD  ROBINSON. 

This  ablf  scholar,  and,  while  he  lived,  the  fii-st  au- 
thority upon  Biblical  geography,  died  at  New  York 
on  the  27th  of  January,  aged  sixty-nine.  His  death 
will  be  lamented  as  much  in  Europe  as  America;  his 
writingn  commanded  the  respect  of  Biblical  scholars 
over  the  globe.  It  is  through  the  New  World  not  the 
Old  that  the  Palestine  of  the  past  has  been  rescued 
for  the  present,  and  whatever  Biblical  topography  may 
do  to  elucidate  the  Bible,  will  be  greatly  owed  to 
the  eminent  and  himple-minded  American  Professor. 
He  was  the  son  of  an  Independent  minister,  and  born 
at  Southington,  Connecticut,  in  1794.  During  his 
childhood  his  father  moved  into  the  State  of  New 
York.    Ho  graduated  with  the  highest  honours  at 


Hamilton  College  in  1816,  and  during  the  next  year 
was  college  tutor.  In  1821  he  removed  to  Andover 
with  a  high  reputation  for  Greek,  and  the  intention 
of  liringing  out  an  edition  of  the  Iliad.  Hero  he 
learned  theology,  and  pursued  his  philological  studies 
under  Profes.sor  Stuart  with  so  much  success  that  in 
Stuart's  absence  he  took  charge  of  the  Hel>rew_  class, 
and  was  afterwards  appointed  Assistant -Professor.  He 
was  united  with  Stuart  in  his  literary  labours  of  that 
time,  and  after  five  years  sailed  for  Europe,  where  he 
resided,  chiefly  in  Germany.  Returning  to  Andover  in 
1830  he  was  appointed  Extraordinary  Profes-sor  of 
Sacred  Literature,  and  three  yeai"s  later  went  to 
Boston,  where  he  engaged  in  literary  work.  In  1837, 
the  year  after  the  Union  Theological  Seminary  was 
founded  in  New  York,  he  was  appointad  its  Professor 


58 


WORK  OF  THE  CIIRISTIAX  CHURCH. 


March  2, 1863. 


of  Sacred  Literature,  and  before  entering  on  tlis  duties 
of  the  eliair,  lie  paid  a  long-projected  visit  to  the  East, 
in  company  with  liis  friend  Dr.  Eli  Smith.  The 
result  of  this  tour  was  soon  after  made  public  b}'  his 
wll-known  work,  Biblical  Besi'arclies,  which  appeared 
simultaneously  in  America,  England,  and  Germany, 
and  at  once  established  its  author's  reputation.  The 
facilities  at  his  disposal  were  few,  tlie  difficulties 
infinitely  greater  than  they  are  now.  But  he  had 
enthusia.sm  and  courage,  scholarly  accuracy  and  im- 
wearied  jierseverance ;  and  after  great  labour  and 
pains  he  was  able  to  make  a  complete  survcj'  of 
Palestine.  After  a  short  residence  in  Germany  to  pre- 
pare his  book,  he  entered,  in  1840,  upon  the  duties  of 
his  Professorship,  which  he  held  until  his  death,  a  period 
of  twenty-six  years.  He  paid  a  second  visit  to  the  Holy 
Land,  thr  results  of  which  were  embodied  in  an  addi- 
tional volume  of  The  Researches.  Last  summer  he 
passed  in  Germany  in  declining  health.  His  disease 
was  not  checked,  and  though  his  death  was  sudden  it 
was  scarcely  unexpected.  He  was  twice  married  ; 
about  1817  to  a  sister  of  President  Kirkland,  of 
Harvard  College,  and  in  1828  to  a  daughter  of  Professor 
von  Jacob,  of  Hiille.  His  second  wife,  who  witli  two 
children,  survives  him,  was  an  accomplished  woman, 
and  a  frequent  WTiter  under  the  signature  of  Talvi. 
Though  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  he  was 
never  a  pastor ;  his  gifts  led  him  to  another  depart-^ 
ment  of  Christian  teaching,  where  they  signally  served 
him.  Besides  his  great  work  he  wrote  a  translation 
of  Gesenius'  Hebrew  Lexicon ;  his  own  Greek  and 
English  Lexicon  of  the  New  Testament ;  a  Harmony 
of  the  Four  Gospels ;  a  Translation  of  Butmann's 
Greek  Grammar;  and  an  abridgment  of  Cabnet's 
Biblical  Dictionary.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  Biblical  Repository/  and  tlio  Bibliotheca  Sacra,  and 
contributed  no  little  to  tlie  reputation  of  both  those 
journals.  He  was  a  member  of  most  of  the  learned 
societies,  and  was  presented  by  the  Royal  Geographical 
Society  with  their  gold  medal.  Two  unfinished  works 
remain  to  bear  witness  to  his  unflinching  industrj' ;  on 
Obscure  Passages  of  the  Bible  and  on  Sacred  Geography. 
To  the  latter  he  had  addressed  himself  after  his  first 
journey  to  Palestine  ;  he  considered  it  as  the  work  of 
his  life,  to  which  the  others  were  all  preparatory. 
Should  it  not  be  far  enough  advanced  for  puljlication 
the  loss  to  Biblical  science  will  bo  irreparable.  He 
was  a  man  of  great  modesty  and  sliyness ;  of  the 
strongest  rectitude  ;  of  indomitable  perseverance,  and 
of  generous  feelings.  He  was  a  constant  contributor 
to  the  New  York  Observer,  but  instead  of  receiving 
payment  desired  the  editor  to  give  the  sum  to  sncli 
indigent  .students  as  he  shoidd  send  to  receive  it.  His 
mind  was  solid,  his  judgment  masculine,  penetrating, 
and  sound.  He  was  a  thorough  and  accomplished 
theologian  ;  and  a  man  of  a  calm  and  firm  piety.  He 
has  left  a  name  that  will  be  remembered  with  honom* 
by  scholars — that  will  be  endeared  to  every  student  of 
the  Bible. 


RUDOLPH  STIER. 

This  eminent  divine  died  suddenly  of  paralysis  of 
the  brain,  at  Eisleben,  on  the  morning  of  the  17th 
December,  1862.  The  previous  day  he  pursued  his 
usual  avocations,  and  retired  to  his  room  between  nine 
and  ten.  An  hour  after  he  was  found  prostrate  on  the 
floor,  and  neither  consciousness  nor  language  having  re- 
turned, he  went  to  his  eternal  rest  at  one  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  His  death  is  a  great  loss  to  tlie  Evangelical 
Church  and  to  Theological  Science.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  Sticr  was  one  of  the  first  expositors  of  Scripture, 
and  th-'.t  he  exerted  a  most  beneficial  and  important  in- 
fluence on  exegetical  study  and  theological  thought. 


His  great  work  on  the  '  Words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,'  is 
kno-mi  and  valued  tlu'oughout  evangelical  Christendom, 
and  men  of  the  most  various  schools  are  one  in  their 
admiration  of  the  comprehensive  erudition,  the  manly 
■\ngour  of  thought,  the  child-like  faith,  and  the  spiritual 
insight  and  experience  which  charactei-ise  this  commen- 
tary. Stier  was  preeminently  a  Biblical  theologian  ; 
the  Bible  was  the  clement  in  which  he  lived,  and  in 
all  his  expositions  we  feel  that  we  are  listening  to  one 
who  has  obtained  a  wonderfully  clear  and  deep  insight 
into  the  mighty  and  harmonioiis  organism  of  the  Word 
of  God.  A  diligent  and  conscientious  critic,  he  entered 
■n-ith  a  candid  mind  into  the  difficidties  and  objections 
of  the  negative  school  in  its  various  shades ;  but  never 
left  out  of  view  the  spiritual  and  practical  element  in 
which  alone  can  be  found  the  key  to  open  the  rich 
treasury  of  the  Word.  It  was  his  deep  Christian  ex- 
perience, and  his  reverence  for  the  teaching  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  living  Church  of  God,  wliich  enabled  him 
to  penetrate  so  deeply  into  the  fidl  and  ever-new  meaning 
of  the  divine  Word.  Free  from  sectarianism  and  narrow- 
ness, as  well  as  scholastic  pedantry  and  esoteric  exclusive- 
ness,  he  had  a  peculiar  gift  of  recognising  the  Christian 
element,  where  sadly  obscured  and  mixed;  and  his 
quotations  from  the  mystics,  Church  Fathers,  and  the 
practical  devotional  literataire  of  all  countries  and 
Church  denominations  are  the  best  testimony  to  the 
catholicity  of  his  mind,  and  the  largeness  of  his  heart 
and  .sympathies. 

His  eoramentar}'  on  the  words  of  the  Incarnate  Word 
is  his  magnwn  opus,  but  his  other  exegetical  works 
on  the  Acts,  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  the  last 
twenty-four  chapters  of  Isaiah,  &c.,  are  scarcely  of  less 
value.  His  appreciiition  of  the  organic  connection 
between  the  Old  and  New  Testament  forms  one  of  his 
characteristic  peeidiarities  ;  and  we  sincerely  hope,  that 
some  of  the  works  on  Old  Testament  book.s,  of  which 
he  speaks  in  the  prefaces  to  his  later  writings,  will  yet 
be  given  to  the  world.  Great  as  Stier  was  as  an  essay- 
ist, he  was  also  great  in  practical  theology.  His  popu- 
lar expository  lectures  on  the  Epistles  of  James  and  to 
the  Hebrews,  as  well  as  his  sermons  on  tlie  gospels  and 
epistles,  abundantly  show  how  eminent  he  was  in  un- 
folding to  tlie  Christian  congregations  the  treasures  of 
instruction  and  consolation  of  the  Divine  word.  His 
deep  devotional  feeling,  manifesting  itself  throughout 
all  his  writings,  found  a  more  direct  expression  in  his 
poems  and  hymns,  some  of  which  have  won  a  perma- 
nent place  in  the  services  and  hearts  of  German  people. 

He  was  little  more  than  sixty  years  old  when  he  died. 
Of  his  life,  we  only  know,  that  in  his  youth  he  had  to 
pass  through  the  struggles  of  scepticism,  whieli  in  those 
days  of  rationalism  were  spared  to  few  enquiring  minds ; 
but  in  a  work  published  in  1824  at  Konigsberg,  we  have 
a  testimony  of  faitli  and  rejoicing  love,  in  which  we  can 
trace  the  leading  ideas  of  his  future  worth.  In  1821 
he  lived  at  Wittenberg,  in  the  Throl  seminary,  of  which 
the  venerable  Heubner  was  president.  Among  his 
(■oll(>agues  and  friends  were  Herbert  and  Eothe.  From 
AVittenberg  he  was  called  to  Basle  as  teacher  to  the 
Mission  house,  where  he  laboured  with  much  blessing.  It 
was  here  that  he  met  with  an  accident,  a  violent  sprain 
of  the  foot,  from  the  consequences  of  which  he  suffered 
all  his  life.  After  a  short  stay  at  Frankleben  near 
Halle,  when  leisure,  and  the  propinquity  of  the  Univer- 
sity had  the  most  favourable  influence  on  his  theolo- 
gical developement,  he  was  called  to  Wiehlinghaiisen 
near  Barmen.  Various  reasons  induced  him  soon 
afterwards  to  resign  his  charge.  He  was  subsequently 
superintendent  in  Skenditz  (between  Halle  and  Leipsig) 
and  latterly  in  Eisleben. 

He  was  twice  man-ied  (his  first  wife  was  a  sister  of 
Prof.  Nitzsch),  and  has  left  .several  children  to  mourn 
his  loss.  After  a  most  laborious  and  eminently  useful 
life,  this  faithful  servant  has  been  called  to  his  home  ; 


Marc!H  2,  1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


59 


but  his  memory  ■will  live  in  the  grateful  hearts  of 
thousands,  and  the  influence  of  his  profound  and 
spiritual  expositions  be  felt  and  enjoyed  by  many 
Christian  congregations  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic. 
He  has  been  a  teacher  to  man}-,  and,  '  being  dead, 
yet  speaketh.' 

LYMAN  ;BEECHER. 

On  the  10th  of  January,  died  the  Kev.  Lyman 
Beecher,  D.D.,  at  the  advanced  age  of  87  years.  He 
was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  preachers  of  the 
United  States  in  the  present  centui'y.  A  native  of  Nc^w 
Haven,  Connecticut,  he  was  educated  at  Yale  College, 
■which  IS  one  of  tht^  most  renowiied  literary  institutions 
of  America,  was  first  settled  as  a  pastor,  eleven  years,  at 
East  Hampton,  on  Long  Island,  N.  Y. ;  then  sixteen  years 
at  Lichfield,  Connecticut;  next  six  years  at  Bo.ston  ;  after- 
■wards,  he  -was  for  twenty  years  Professor  of  Theology 
in  Lane  Seminary,  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  The  last  ten 
years  of  his  .life  ■were  pas.sed  at  Jioston  and  Brooklyn, 
without  pastoral  charge,  but  he  preached  as  often  as  his 
strength  would  permit.  In  the  last-named  place,  and 
near  to  his  favourite  sou,  the  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher, 
h(^  spent  his  last  years  ;  his  po'wi'i's  of  body  and  mind 
gradually  wasting  away,  till  the  flickering  flame  died 
in  the  socket.  Bather  below  than  above  the  me- 
dium h.'iglit,  and  having  a  person  that  had  nothing 
striking  about  it,  save  an  eye  of  singular  depth,  size  and 
brilliancy,  and  posses.sing  no  particular  advantages  of 
voice,  Dr.  Beecher,  by  the  jxmctrating  nature  of  hi.s 
mind,  by  the  richness  of  his  imagination,  and  a  ready 
command  of  language — but  not  with  great  nicety  of 
proniuiciation — was  a  mo.st  eflf'ective  speaker  both  in  the 
pulpit  and  on  the  platfonn.  He  was  a  great  preacher 
in  his  best  days,  especially  among  a  New  England 
people ;  sensible,  well-educated,  and  acute.  No  man 
ever  did  more  to  break  down  the  stronghold  of  Uni- 
tarianism  in  Boston  than  he  did  during  the  short 
period  of  five  or  six  years  which  he  s-pent  there — 
building  up  three  new  and  strong  Churches  in  that 
short  period.  No  man  luider.^tood  better  than  he 
)iow  to  blend  the  rigour  of  logic  with  the  most 


tender  and  melting  appeals  to  the  affections.  His  Ttian- 
ner  was  altogether  his  own — at  least  until  some  of  his 
sons,  and  a  few  others,  almost  robbed  him  of  it.  He 
had  seven  sons  and  four  daughters.  All  of  his  sons 
became  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  and  all  but  one  are 
stiU  living,  as  are  all  the  daughters.  Of  the  sons, 
Edward  and  Henry  Ward  have  made  their  mark  both 
as  ■OTiters  and  speakers ;  of  the  daughters,  Harriet 
(Mrs.  Stowe)  has  achieved  a  reno'wn  that  equals,  if 
it  does  not  even  eclipse,  that  of  her  distinguished 
brothers.  Dr.  Beecher's  published  Lectures  on  Theo- 
logj-,  Sermons  before  Ecclesiastical  and  Missionary 
bodies,  and  on  other  great  occasions,  Essays,  etc., 
make  several  volumes.  His  Six  Sermons  on  Intem- 
perance, delivered  many  years  ago,  did  much  to  give 
an  impulse  to  the  Temperance  Reformation  'with  u.s. 
His  sermon  on  Duelling,  occasioned  by  the  death  of 
General  Hamilton  by  the  hand  of  Colonel  Burr,  almost 
sixty  years  ago,  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  he 
ever  delivered,  and  produced  a  great  effect  on  the  public 
mind,  especially  in  the  Northern  States,  and  takes  rank 
with  those  which  that  memorable  occasion  called  forth 
from  the  pens  of  Drs.  John  M.  Mason,  Eliphalet  Nott, 
Timothy  D^^vight,  and  other  distinguishedmen  of  thatday. 

The  funeral  services  were  held  in  the  Plymouth 
Church,  Brooklyn  (of  which  the  Rev.  Heni-y  Ward 
Beecher  is  the  pastor),  on  the  14th  January,  when  a 
sermon  was  preached  \>y  the  Rev.  Dr.  Leonard  Bacon, 
of  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  to  an  immense  congrega- 
tion that  filled  that  large  edifice  to  overflowing.  The 
text  was :  '  Thanks  be  to  God  ■wliich  giveth  us  the 
■victory.'  (1  Cor.  xv.  57.)  The  discourse  was  worthy  of 
the  occasion  and  the  subject.  It  contained  not  only  a 
just  and  discriminating  portraiture  of  Dr.  Beecher's 
moral,  religious,  and  intellectual  character,  but  also  set 
forth  the  chief  events  and  labours  of  his  life.  The  next 
day  his  remains  were  carried  to  New  Haven,  and  buried 
by  the  side  of  the  late  Dr.  Taylor,  according  to  his 
dying  injunction.  In  due  time  we  may  expect  an 
extended  l>iography  of  this  remarkable  man  ;  and  if  it 
should  contain  all  the  wonderful  things  said  or  done, 
■wliich  have  been  attributed  to  him,  it  wiU.  indeed  be  a 
most  cxtraordinarj'  book. 


LITEEATUEE. 


ENGLISH. 

Christian  Missions :  Six  Discourses  delivered  before  ihe 
Vnivrrsity  of  Dublin :  being  the  Donellan  Lectures 
for  1S6L  J5y  W.  P.  Wai.sh,  A.M.,  Chii|.lain  of 
Sandford.  Crown  8vo.  pp.  viii.  288.  6,«.,  Dublin  : 
Herbert. 

SoKB  years  since,  a  proposal  was  made  to  establish  a 
Mi.s8ioiiary  Lectureship  at  eacli  of  the  Universities. 
The  proposal  is  one  of  gr(!at  interest.  Most  Missions 
have  been  hitherto  conducted  by  Societies,  and  not  as 
a  part  of  the  Church  organisatiou.  No  dinrct  connexion 
haa  been  eslablished  between  them  and  the  Universitv-. 
•There  an-  ieeture«  on  the  History  of  the  Church  ;  Mis- 
sions which  are  the  living  and  present  history  of  the 
Church,  i>re  ignored.  Men  study  for  the  Church  ■  they 
do  not  r(,gani,  th<.y  are  not  taught  to  regard,  the  Mission 
as  direct  ( 'liureli  work.  Jt  is  only  now  that  the  preju- 
dicfl  against  missionaries,  as  an  inferior  class,  is  wearing 
away.  There  are  still  Societies  whose  Missionaries  are 
not  eligil)le  for  pastoral  work.  And  so  long  us  this 
separation  Ix'tween  the  Mission  and  tlie  Church  con- 
tinues, the  Mission  will  be  crippled;  so  long  as  Mission 
work  IS  regarded  its  inferior,  entered  on  with  resignation 


rather  than  consecration,  so  long  will  Mi.ssionary 
Societies  appeal  for  men  in  vain.  That  appeal  has 
now  become  serious ;  the  want  of  response  may 
well  cause  apprehension.  Whether  or  not  a  Univer- 
sity Missionary  Lectureship  be  at  once  practicable, 
there  is  no  doubt  it  would  be  a  step  in  the  right  direc- 
tion; that  until  the  University  is  identified  with  the 
Mission, — University  men  will  hold  aloof  Tlie  Donellan 
Lectures  of  Mr.  Walsh  are  a  hojieful  symptom.  Delivered 
before  the  University  of  Dublin,  they  are  an  excellent 
example  of  what  such  lectures  should  be.  They  are 
grajilue,  clear,  and  jmictical ;  they  present  a  living  and 
intelligent  picture  of  tlie  Christendom  in  heathendom; 
and  throughout  there  runs  a  solemn  and  dignified  plead- 
ing for  Missions,  a  high  appreciation  of  the  Missionary 
office.  They  wiU  lie  acceptable  to  a  wider  circle  than  the 
students  who  heard  them.  Tlie  Missions  of  tlie  Middle 
Ages,  IVIoderii  ^Missions — Romish  and  Protestant — the 
results  and  jirospeets  of  missionary  labours,  are  plainly 
and  ■•sensibly  treated,  and  many  valuable  facts  are  well 
arranged  in  the  notes.  Thos.f  who  are  familiar  witii 
Newcombe  and  Burkliardt,  will  appreciate  the  admirable 
selection  and  management  of  somewhat  unmanageable 
materials ;  those  who  wish  a  succinct  account  of  ^lis- 
sious  cannot  find,  at  present,  a  better  book. 


60 


WORK  OF  THE  CHMSTLIN  CHURCH. 


Makch  2, 1863. 


Parochial  Mission  Women:  their  Work  and  its  Fruits. 
By  the  Hon.  Mrs.  J.  C.  Talbot,    pp.  viii.  120. 

Bivingtons. 

Our  Homeless  Poor,  and  what  we  can  do  to  lulp  them. 

By  Ellen  Baelee.  cro'WTi  8vo.  pp.  Zs.  6d.  Nisbet. 
Friendless  and  Helpless.    By  Ellen  Bablee.  crowu 

8vo.    pp.  Tiii.  292.    3s.  Gd.  Faiihfull. 
Lancashire  Honirs,  and  what  ails   them.     By  the 

Author  of  '  Ragged  Homes,  and  how  to  mend  them.' 

12mo.    pp. 'xii.  94.  Nisbet. 
Labourers'   Cottages  in  the  Agricultural  Districts  of 

England,    crown  8vo.    pp.  viii.  108.    Is.  Jarrold. 

The  last  twenty  years  have  largely  increased  our  Cliris- 
tian  helpMness.  They  have  given  us  ragged  schools,  and 
reformatories,  Bible-women,  and  nurses  for  the  sick. 
While  some  are  studying  the  phases  and  dangers  of  our 
social  evil,  others  are  bringing  to  them  the  quiet  help 
of  practical  Christian  love.  Every  year  almost  informs 
us  of  some  such  new  effort,  independently  begun,  and 
then  adapted  to  organisations  already  in  existence  ;  and 
so  the  whole  round  of  Christian  work  is  being  gradually 
filled  in,  and  what  is  lost  by  the  want  of  system  is,  at  least, 
partiallj'  regained  by  the  enthusiasm  of  theseparate  work- 
ers for  their  own  departments.  Mrs.  Talbot's  account  of 
Parochial  Mission  Women  is  full  of  encouragement,  and 
marked  by  great  good  sense.  It  is  simply  the  Bible-woman 
in  the  parish  under  the  incumbent,  instead  of  in  a  district 
under  a  committee.  Dr.  Fliedner  liolds  his  parish  dea- 
coness as  the  most  important ;  her  position  is  more 
defined,  her  relation  to  the  Church  closer,  her  power  of 
doing  good  increased.  Mrs.  Talbot  at  least  proves  that 
there  is  room  for  the  parish  Bible-women,  that  there  is 
no  collision  between  them  and  the  Bible-women  already 
amiliar  to  us  ;  that  their  number  is  rapidly  increasing, 
and  that  there  is  little  difficulty  in  obtaining  persons 
suited  to  the  work.  Miss  Barlee  has  devoted  herself 
to  the  homeless  poor,  especially  girls,  thrown  suddenly 
out  of  employment,  and  who  may  be  thrown  upon  the 
street.  Refuges  have  been  provided  as  a  temporary 
shelter,  and  to  these  other  helpful  institutions  have  been 
added.  In  the  new  Field  Lane  Refuge  it  seems  there  is  a 
lodging  house  for  boj's  under  a  given  age,  another  for 
girls,  a  house  for  houseless  girls  and  servants  out  of 
place,  and  an  infant  school  for  200  cliihlrc  n.  A  well- 
known  Christian  WTiter  gives  a  sad  enough  account  of 
Lancashire  homes,  and  a  prize  Essaj-ist  a  still  sadder  of 
the  labourers'  cottages  in  agricultural  counties.  It  was  a 
saying  of  Sidney  Smith,  that  all  nations  begin  with 
living  in  pigsties.  It  would  seem  from  such  books  as 
tliese,  that  a  considerable  part  of  our  nation  has  not  got 
beyond  the  beginning.  It  is  plain  that  there  must  be 
no  pause  in  Cliristian  effort;  it  is  cheering  to  find 
that  there  are  so  many  to  work. 

Family  Sermons.    By  Hobatius  Boxak,  D.D.  8vo. 

pp.  xvi.  464.  Nisbet. 
The  Thoughts  of  God.     By  J.  R.  Macduff,  D.D. 

18mo.    Is.  6d.  Nisbet. 
Prayers,  Texts,  and  Hyinns  for  those  in  Service.  By 

the  Author  of  '  Count  up  your  Money.'  12mo. 

pp.  iv.  68.    8rf.  Faithfull. 

Devotional  books  are  a  marked  characteristic  of 
the  time,  no  doubt  a  healthy  characteristic.  Recent  sta- 
tistics go  to  show  that  religious  literature  has  the 
largest  circxdation  of  any ;  and  probably  of  such  litera- 
ture devotional  books  occupy  the  largest  share.  And  in 
an  age  so  breathless  and  overworked  as  ours,  it  is 
cheering  to  find  a  craving  for  religious  leisure,  that  the 
practical  side  of  Christian  life  is  balanced  by  the 
meditative.  It  is  a  proof  that  religious  truth  has  taken 
a  deep  hold  of  the  people — that  it  is  enjoyed  and 
sought  in  contrast  to  the  restlessness  of  life — that 
scepticism  has  not  the  strength  it  seems.  It  may  be 
that  better  devotional  reading  could  be  provided — that 


it  might  assume  a  more  modest  and  spiritual  character 
— that  much  of  it  is  commonplace.  Tliei-e  is  much 
that  it  would  be  easy  to  condemn,  that  to  cultivated  and 
reverent  and  thoughtful  persons  may  seem  veiy  worth- 
less— much  that  is  no  doubt  taken  for  want  of  any 
better.  But  there  is  already  a  manifest  improvement ; 
it  is  pleasant  to  notice  that  it  is  coincident  with  the 
extended  taste  for  this  kind  of  reading.  Dr.  Bonar's 
book  is  admirably  fitted  to  its  end :  it  is  wholesome 
devout  Sunday  reading — sermons  that  may  be  heard  with 
profit  in  any  household,  that  will  be  likely  to  suggest 
conversation  and  fill  up  a  pleasant  and  useful  evening. 
They  are  plain  sermons,  with  plain  but  pregnant  teach- 
ing, and  purposely  deal  with  questions  of  the  soul 
rather  than  the  duties  of  life. 

Dr.  Macduff's  little  manual  will  reeal  its  predecessors. 
It  might  have  found  a  better  title  ;  but  it  is  sure  to  be 
welcome  to  thousands  of  readers. 

The  Prayers  and  Hymns  are  suitable  to  their  object, 
and  may  suggest  much  to  those  who  are  ignorant,  and 
to  many  who  are  diffident.  There  i.s,  perhaps,  a  ten- 
dency to  stereotj-pe  feelings  that  should  be  free,  but  the 
main  intention  is  good,  and  it  is  a  kindly  thought  for 
a  class  little  cared  for. 

Considerations  on  the  Pentateuch.  By  Isaac  Taylob. 
2nd  Edition,  8vo.  pp.  80.  2s.  6rf.  Jackson,  Walford 
£?-  Hodder 

Bishop  Coknso's  Rramination  of  the  Pentateuch  Exa- 
mined. With  an  Appendix.  By  G.  S.  Duew,  M.A. 
8vo.  pp.  xii.  118.    Hell  4'  Daldy. 

The  Bible  in  the  Workshop.  By  Two  Woeking  Men, 
a  Jew  and  a  Gentile.  Crown  8vo.  pp.  104.  Is.  erf. 
Kent  4-  Co. 

Christ\or  Colenso.  By  Mich.uah  Hill,  Son  of  a  Mis- 
sionary in  the  East.  12mo.  pp.  84.  Is.Qd.  Hamilton, 
Adams  4'  Co. 

Moses  Bight  and  Colenso  Wrotig.  By  the  Rev.' John 
CuMMiNo,  D.D.,  F.R.S.E.    Shaw  #  Co. 

If  Bishop  Colenso  was  aware  of  the  start  and  sensa- 
tion that  his  book  would  produce  in  England,  he  must 
have  at  least  felt  some  surprise  at  our  English  readi- 
ness of  reply.    Pausing  for  a  moment  to  recover  the 
shock,  the  press  has  poured  out  an  unflagging  succession 
of  answers.     Newspaper  correspondents  led  the  van; 
pamphlets  followed ;  books  are  bringing  up  the  rear.  No 
man  has  probably  encountered  so  many  antagonists ;  no 
ant;igonists  were  probably  ever  so  various.    The  hastiest 
weapons  were  seized  ;  personalities  and  abuse,  when 
others  failed.     But  more  leisurely  opponents  made 
better  choice,  and  have  advanced  with  an  earnestness 
and  gravity  befitting  the  position;  for  it  is  a  position  of 
great  moment  in  the  religious  history  of  our  country, 
not  for  the  assault  on  the  Pentateuch,  or  the  assailant,  ! 
but  for  the  revelation  of  a  certain  deep  and  perliaps 
wide  disaffcct  ion  to  the  authority  of  the  Word  of  God.  I 
It  has  brought  men  a  step  nearer  to  the  struggle  which 
many  have  foreseen — which  has  been  already  fought,  | 
if  it  does  not  still  linger,  in  Germany — a  struggle  not  j 
for  interpretations  or  theological  systems,  but  for  the  ^ 
bare  word  and  truth  of  God  itself.    Wlien  the  special 
battle  over  the  Pentateuch  is  past,  that  st  ruggle  mil 
still  remain.     Dr.  Colenso  is  no  very  formidable  oppo- 
nent to  those  that  will  meet  him  humbly  and  calmly 
in  the  Spirit  of  God.     The  questions  which  he  has  i 
raised  are  not  very  novel  to  students  of  the  Bible.   The  | 
nearest  approach  to  novelty  is  in  the  oddity  of  his  con-  j 
elusions,  the  eccentricity  of  a  man  who,  on  his  own 
sliowing,  adopts  out  of  two  possible  conclusions  that 
which  involves  the  greatest  difficulties,  and  while  pro- 
claiming his  reverence  for  truth,  deliberately  suppresses 
the  other.    There  is  no  ground  to  question  his  sin- 
cerity, his  expressions  of  belief  in  what  he  still  believes, 
his  feeling  of  freedom  to  be  rid  of  what  he  disbelieves. 


Makch  2,  1863. 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 


GI 


But  there  is  strong  ground  to "  suspect  his  logical 
acutenrss,  to  distrust  iin  expounder  of  Scripture  who 
shows  liimsclf  so  blinded  by  feeling,  so  defective  in  the 
sagacity  and  impartiality  of  a  .judge.  His  book  will 
soon  pass  away  from  men's  minds ;  there  is  nothing 
lasting  in  it  but  its  disgrace.  Able  books  will  be 
written  to  refute  it — abler  probably  than  it  deserves. 
Nay,  some  good  may  come  out  of  it,  by  a  more  critical, 
patient,  and  lo^-ing  study  of  the  Old  Testament,  by  the 
shame  that  we,  in  England,  will  feel  for  the  crudities 
that  have  been  opposed  to  criticism,  itself  so  crude. 
But  those  sceptical  tendencies  out  of  which  the  book 
indirectly  sprang,  and  which  it  has  attracted  from 
every  side,  will  not  pass  away  su  lightly.  Solutions  of 
arithmetical  puzzles,  calcidations  that  overtlirow  other 
calculations,  even  theories  of  inspiration  will  not 
remove  them — nay,  will  scarcely  touch  them.  The 
battle  closed  to-day  may  rage  in  some  other  part  of  the 
field  to-morrow.  And  the  importance  of  the  Colenso 
controversy,  as  it  is  called,  lies  mostly  in  the  indica- 
tion it  gives  of  a  rising  unbelief  which  is  already 
called  freedom  of  conscience,  which  claims  the  widest 
tolerance  for  itself,  but  even  now  grows  impatient 
at  the  reverence  of  a  simple  faith.  Mr.  Taylor's 
pamphlet  is  peeidiarly  valuable  for  the  perception  and 
assertion  of  this  danger.  Wider  and  more  philosophic 
in  its  aim  than  the  other  replies,  it  is  manly  and 
trenchant  in  its  reasonings ;  not  a  retort,  and  nowhere 
disfigiu-ed  by  inuendoes  or  unchristian  speech.  Mr. 
Drew's  book  has  a  special  wortli,  from  his  knowledge 
of  Syria  and  his  wise  application  of  that  knowledge 
to  the  Books  of  Moses.  Happier  than  either,  and 
more  effective  than  any  reply  published  is  a  series  of 
papers  appearing  in  Good  Words.  They  are  slightly 
wanting  in  feeling,  at  times,  perhaps,  bordering  upon 
coarseness,  but  as  a  retort,  singulary  vigorous  and 
crushing  ;  so  skilful  and  aptly  keen,  so  instinct  with 
tlie  sense  and  command  of  power,  that  only  one  man 
in  England  could  have  -nTitten  them. 

African  Hunting  from  Natal  to  the  Zambesi.  By  W. 
C.  Baldwin,  Esq.,  F.K.G.S.  Demy  8vo.  pp.  451. 
21s.  Bcntley. 

There   are   sportsmen    no   doubt  for    whom  Mr. 
Baldwin's  book  has  a  peculiar  interest.     Few  men 
have  hunted  more  desperately  or  had  more  hair  breadth 
I   escapes.    But  the  book  is  interesting  to  others  than 
;   sportsmen.      Mr.   Baldwin's   hunting     ground  was 
'  through  just  that  part  of  Africa  which  has  received 
most  prominence  in  missions.     His  narrative  gives 
I   one  of  the  liveliest  pictun'S  of  the  people  and  the 
]  counti-y.    His  wanderings  brought  him  into  frequent 
I   contact  with  the  missionaries ;  with  Moffat  at  Mosili- 
katses'  kraal,  Livingstone  at  the  Zambesi,  the  ill-fated 
Helmore  and  Price  party  on  their  way  up,  often  with 
Schroedcr  the  Norwegian,  and  the  Hermannsburghen. 
Ho  is  a  shrewd  observer  and  his  impressions  are 
frankly  told.    He  does  not  give  the  information  of  a 
missionary  report,  but  ho  gives  what  is  as  valuable  in 
its  way,  what  struck  him  as  a  hunter  and  man  of  the 
world.    And  his  opinion  of  the  missionaries  is  favour- 
able throughout ;  his  description  of  Pastor  Hamis 
colonists  vei-y  noticeable. 

'We  arrived  hero  yesterday  ;  found  a  large  arrival  of 
Gorman  missionaries  from  Natal,  no  less  than  six  ;  they 
are  active,  energetic  fellows,  all  tradesmen  and  good 
workmen,  and  have  in  the  .space  of  six  weeks,  with 
weteh<d  materials  to  work  on,  built  themselves  not 
only  a  good  substantial  house  with  five  largo  room.s,  but 
really  a  tasteful,  elegant  building,  with  a  wide  verandah 
on  three  sides.  They  are  clever,  learned,  well-informed 
men  also,  and  pass  every  spare  moment  in  liard  studj', 
iu  acquiring  the  Bechuana  language,  which  is  no  easy 
task,  n»  they  have  only  the  New  Testament,  translated 


by  Moffat,  to  assist  them.  They  are  happy,  hospitable 
fellows,  and  make  most  excellent  colonists,  being  able 
to  turn  their  hands  to  anything  in  the  world.' 

AVlion  Darwin  saw  the  missionary  stations  in  New 
Zealand,  ho  exclaimed,  '  The  lesson  of  the  missionary 
is  the  enchanter's  wand !  '  We  may  hope  that  the 
time  is  not  distant  when  our  African  sportsmen  shall 
have  cause  to  say  as  much. 

GERMAN. 

Bie  VcrJiandlungcn  des  Zwolftcn  Beuischen  Evan- 
gelischtn  Kircluntages  zu  Brandenburg  an  dcr  Havel 
im  September  1862.  Berlin,  1862.  [Transactions 
of  the  Twelfth  German  Evangelical  Kirchentag  held 
at  Brandenburg  in  September  1862.] 

The  German  Kirchenteig  originated  'at  a  period  of 
a  great  national  movement,  when  the  mighty  voice  of 
events  roused  the  pastors  of  the  German  churches  to 
inqiure  more  earnestly  than  before  into  the  true  con- 
dition of  their  country  and  church ;  as  Nitzsch  expresses 
it,  no  individual  man  has  called  the  Kirchentag  into 
existence ;  it  arose  by  diA-ine  guidance  in  thi-eatening 
the  times  out  of  the  instinct  of  self-preservation.  These 
meetings  never  claimed  legislative  or  executive  power, 
but  simply  regarded  as  their  object  testimony,  delibera- 
tion, mutual  counsel,  and  encouragement.  The  free 
expression  of  opmion,  the  communication  of  experiences, 
the  discussion  of  difficult  points  of  doctrine  and  practice, 
and  especially  the  consultations  on  the  practical  work  of 
the  church,  have  exerted  a  most  beneficial  influence,  and 
much  valuable  information  ha.s  been  brought  to  light. 
The  report  of  the  last  Kirchentag  contains  several 
valuable  "papers.  The  paper  of  Dr.  Wichern  '  On  the 
Duty  of  the  Chm-oh  to  undertake  the  combat  with  the 
Opponents  of  Christian  Faith  in  our  day,'  is  worthy  of 
particular  notice.  Very  few  men  are  so  competent  as 
Wichern  to  speak  on  this  suliject,  intimately  acquainted 
as  he  is  with  the  .state  of  German  literature  and  with 
the  religious  condition  of  the  nation  in  its  various 
sections  and  classes.  He  gives  an  appalling  picture 
of  the  decided  opposition  to  Christianity,  expressed 
without  disguise  in  the  most  popular  periodicals,  which 
declare  '  that  before  natural  science,  Brahma,  J'upitor, 
Buddha  and  Jehovah  must  vanish  and  the  principles  of 
reason  and  love  be  established  I'  A  very  important 
section  of  these  writers  are  Jews,  who,  equally  opposed 
to  talmudical  and  biblical  Judaism,  join  the  '  Gentile 
heathen,'  as  Wichern  terms  them,  in  their  fight  against 
all  sanctuaries.  As  closely  connected  with  infidelity, 
Wichern  views  the  widelj'-spread  sin  of  impurity,  its 
great  ally,  both  the  mother  and  child  of  unbelief; 
'  the  paralyser  of  conscience,  which  is  then  unable  to 
resist  the  lies  of  anti-Clu-istianity.'  He  next  treats  of 
the  manner  in  which  the  Chiu-ch  is  to  engage  in  this  con- 
flict ;  and  insists,  among  other  things,  on  a  thorough 
and  conscientious  study  of  the  enemy,  and  a  more  solid 
and  profound  instruction  of  the  congregations  from  the 
pulpit,  and  in  other  ways. 

The  paper  of  Pastor  Kugel,  '  On  the  Prevalent  Igno- 
rance of  Christianity,  and  its  Relation  to  the  Irreligious 
Character  of  the  Present  Age,'  closely  bears  on  the 
same  subject,  and  analyses  the  causes  of  this  ignorance, 
describes  its  extent  among  all  classes  of  society,  and 
suggests  as  remedies,  to  infuse  more  of  the  didactic 
element  into  the  services  of  the  Lord's  day  ;  to  encourage 
meetings  in  the  congregations  for  the  free  discussion  of 
scriptm-al  subjects;  to  recommend  good  and  solid  com- 
mentaries and  expositions  as  well  as  apologetic  works ; 
and  to  devote  more  attention  to  schools,  chiefly  to  strive 
that  the  reading  of  Scripture,  prayer,  and  the  use  of  our 
excellent  hymns,  may  continue  in  the  German  schools. 

The  Report  contains  besides  a  very  learned  paper  by 
Dr.  Hennann,  'On  Church  Government,  uniting  Iho 
Consistorial  and  Synodal  Elements;'  a  Report  by  Prof. 


62 


WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTL\N  CirURCII. 


MAEcn  2, 1863, 


Flashar  on  '  Schools,  in  their  Eelation  to  the  Church ; ' 
an  Address  by  Dr.  Schneider  on  the  '  Unitj'  of  the 
Evangelical  Church,  notwithstanding  its  apparent  Di- 
Tisions.'  Special  conferences  were  held  on  tlie  fol- 
lowing subjects:  '  Ee^■ision  of  Luther's  Translation  of 
tlie  Bible ;  Mission  to  the  Jews;  Young  Men"s  Societies; 
and  the  State  of  the  German  Artisans  :  The  Poor  and 
the  Diaeonate ;  Reformatories;  Sabbath  Observance ;  the 
German  Diaspora  in  North  America  ;  Christian  Ai't ; 
Treatment  of  Discharged  Prisoners,  &c.  This  little 
volume  thus  gives  a  comprehensive  picture  of  the  state 
of  the  German  Church,  and  the  progress  of  its  mauifold 
activities,  and  contains  much  that  is  worthy  of  ciircful 
consideration  as  applying  also  to  the  requirements  of 
this  country. 

Leiden  ttnd  Freuden  rheinischen  Missionarc,  von  T.  C. 
Wallmann,  Inspector  der  Berliner  MissionsgeseU- 
schaft.)  2te  Auflage.  Halle,  1862.  [Joys  and 
Sorrows  of  Bhcnish  Missionaries.    Second  edition.] 

If  the  interest  of  Christians  at  home  in  the  work  of 
Missions  is  to  be  sustained,  it  is  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance to  present  them  with  a  graphic  and  vivid 
picture  of  Mission  life.  The  more  truthful  and  indivi- 
dual the  better.  It  is  shortsighted,  to  say  the  least  of 
it,  to  keep  back  difficulties,  diseoiiragenienf  s,  and  dis- 
appointments. The  most  glowing  reports,  whicli  string 
together  isolated  facts  of  an  encouraging  and  pleasing 
nature,  will  fail  to  insure  a  sustained,  intelligent, 
prayerful,  and  active  interest  in  the  Mission,  though 
apparently  a  species  of  fervid  excitement  has  been 
produced. 

Mr.  Wallman,  formerly  Director  of  the  Mission 
House  in  Barmen,  gives  us  thirty-four  sketches  of 
Mission  life  with  its  joys  and  sorrows,  its  trials  and 
rewards.  He  selected  tlie  stations  of  the  society  ■with 
which  he  was  so  intimately  connected,  but  as  he  justly 
remiirks,  'The  experiences  of  these  missionaries  are 
substantially  the  experiences  of  all  evangelical  mis- 
sionaries, and  my  chief  purpo.'^e  is  to  lay  them  before 
a  larger  public.  Besides,  I  hope  that  the  special 
character  of  this  book  will  invest  it  mth  greater 
hi.storical  faitlifuhiess.'  The  scenes  here  brought 
before  us  are  chiefly  in  South  Africa,  Borneo,  and 
China.  There  is  much  in  this  book  to  deepen  our 
interest  in  the  cause  of  Missioiis  and  om-  sympathy 
■with  the  men  engaged  in  this  noble  and  trying  work, 
■while  it  presents  many  glorious  instances  of  the  power 
of  Christ's  truth  and  love. 

Bihlischer  Conmentdr  iihcr  dasAlte  Testammi.  Heraus- 
gegeben  von  C.  F.  Keil  und  F.  Deijtzsch.  Erster 
T}LEiL,  Die  Biichcr  Moses.  Leipzig,  1862.  [Bibli- 
cal Commentary  on  the  Old  Testament.  Edited  by 
Kbit,  and  Delitzsch.  1st  vol.  The  Books  of  Moses, 
by  Kjeil.] 

This  work  promises  to  supply  a  desideratum  in 
theological  literatiu-e.  Embodying  the  results  of 
modern  exegesis  and  criticism,  it  presents  us  with  a 
short  exposition  from  the  stand-point  of  faith  in  Christ, 
as  the  sum  and  substance  of  Scripture,  its  central  and 
vivifying  idea,  and  faith  in  Scripture,  as  thi;  inspii-ed  word 
of  God.  Sufficiently  minute  in  its  detail,  it  excels 
in  general  and  comprehensive  views,  and  while  modern 
difficulties  and  objections  are  treated  carefully,  the 
positive  element  predominates.  The  stylo  is  easy,  and 
free  from  the  abruptness  and  ruggedness  of  a  merely 
critical  compendium.  "Wo  commend  it  specially  to 
students  of  theology  and  to  ministers.  The  following 
concluding  remarks  of  our  author  possess  peculiar 
interest  at  the  present  time : 

'  The  strength  of  the  opposition  which  impugns  the 
imity  and  Mosaic  origin  of  the  Pentateuch  is  not  so  much 
in  its  formal  peculiarities,  though  these  have '  always 


been  put  prominently  forward  by  negative  criticism,  but 
rather  in  the  contents  of  the  Books  of  Moses,  which 
are  incompatible  ■wdth  the  naturalism  of  the  modem 
\-iew  of  the  world.  The  leaders  of  modem  criticism 
start  «  jpr/or?,  and  from  theoretic  reasons,  with  the 
conviction  that  the  Pentateuch  is  not  genuine,  or  has 
a  post-Mosaic  origin,  and  that  the  gradual  development 
of  the  Mosaic  legislation  took  place  without  direct  and 
supernatural  influence  from  God.  This  was  expressed 
without  disguise  by  DeWette,  in  the  first  three  editions  of 
his  Introduction,  in  which  he  says,  that  so  many 
narratives  of  the  Pentateuch  presuppose  a  direct  inter- 
ference of  God,  and  contradict  the  laws  of  nature,  and 
that,  "as  it  is  clear  to  the  educated  mind  that  such 
miracles  cannot  have  actually  happened,  the  next 
question  to  be  considered  is,  whether  they  appeared  as 
such  to  the  eyewitnesses;  and  as  this  also  must  be 
negatived,  we  arrive  at  the  conclusion  that  the 
narrative  was  not  ■written  by  a  cotemporary  or  derived 
from  cotejnjjoraneous  sources."  Quite  as  openly,  Ewald 
developed  liis  naturalistic  principle,  which  denies  a 
superuatiu-al  revelation  of  God,  and  it  is  on  tlie  basis 
of  this  fundamental  view  that  he  rears  his  theory  of 
the  successive  formation  of  the  Pentateuch.  But  as 
De  Wette  expressed  his  view  subsequently  ■with  much 
greater  caiition  and  obscui-ity,  hjs  followers  also 
endeavoiu'  to  conceal  the  naturalistic  principle,  which 
is  the  basis  of  their  criticism,  and  to  put  forward 
arguments,  which  they  themselves  would  consider  weak 
and  futile,  in  ever}-  sphere  where  fundamental  theories 
are  not  concerned.  As  long  as  biblical  criticism  is 
fettered  by  naturalism,  it  cannot  possibly  recognise  tlie 
genuineness  and  inward  unity  of  the  Pentateuch.  For 
if  the  miraculous  acts  of  the  living  God,  which  are  there 
recorded,  did  not  take  place,  the  documents  cannot 
have  originated  from  eye^witnesscs,  but  must  be  myths, 
which  arose  long  afterwards  in  the  popular  mind,  and 
if  there  is  no  proplictic  foresight  of  the  future  vouchsafed 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  it  is  clear  that  Moses  could  not 
have  predicted  the  dispersion  of  Israel  many  centiu-ies 
before  the  event.' 

Bibelstunden.  Aiisleqnng  der  Heiligeii  Schrift  furs 
Volt  Von  W.  F.  Besser.  8  Band.  Erster 
Corinther  Brief.  [Bible  Expositions''  for  the  People. 
By  W.  F.  Bessbr.    8  vols.    /.  Corinthians.'\ 

A  Peacticax  devotional  commentary,  based  on  careful 
exegetical  study,  enriched  by  many  beautiful  and 
apt  quotations  from  the  Churcli  Fathers,  and  especially 
the  Reformers  and  earlier  Divines  of  the  Lutheran 
Church.  References  to  questions  of  the  day,  and  to 
questions  of  Christian  casuistry  are  frequent,  and 
treated  ■with  the  insight,  prudence  and  delicacy  of  a  wise 
and  experienced  pastor.  The  whole  epistle  is  divided 
into  twenty-two  chapters,  each  of  which  concludes  with 
an  appropriate  prayer  and  short  hjTnn,  embodying  the 
leading  thoughts  and  lessons  of  the  section.  An 
excellent  work  for  family  reading. 

LonsTEW  (T.  F.). — Die  Geheimnisse  des  Herzens.  Fiinf- 
zehn  Betrachtiingen  uber  Biblisohe  Texte.  2te  Au- 
flage, 1859. 

Klippen  avfdem  Heilswege,  2to  Auf. 

Das  Wirken  der  Gnade  an  den  Seelen. 

Tdgliche  Weckstimmen,  odcr  eine  SchriftstcUe,  Kur: 
beleuchtct,  aitf  alle  Tage  im  Yahr.  3te  Auf. 

[LoBSTEiN. — Anatomy  of  the  Heart.  Fifteen  Medita- 
tions on  Scripture  Texts.  Dangers  on  the  way  to 
Heaven.  The  Work  of  Grace  in  the  Soul.  Daily 
Readings,  or  Short  Expositions  of  a  Scripture  Passage 
for  every  Day  of  the  Year."] 

Concise,  suggestive,  and  eminently  practical.  Free 
from  sentimentalism  and  monotony,  which  ai'e  not 
unfrequently  found  in  popular  devotional  literature. 


March  2,  1863.  WORK  OF  THE  CHRISTL\N  CHURCH.  G3 


thepe  works  abound  in  deep  scriptiiral  thought,  and  are 
evidently  the  result  of  profound  study  and  rich  and 
varied  experience.  Very  rarely  have  -we  met  with 
devotional  writings  in  wliich  so  many  aspects  of  truth 
are  presented,  and  which  blend  so  harmoniously  the 
dogmatic  and  etliic  elements.  Fervent  love  to  Jesus 
Christ ;  an  intimate,  accurate,  and  spiritwal  knowledge 
of  Scripture ;  a  remarkably  deep  and  subtle  analj'sis  of 
human  character ;  and  a  manly  and  tender  sympathy 
with  men's  struggles,  joys,  and  sorrows,  characterise  all 
that  has  come  from  the  pen  of  this  singularly  gifted  and 
noble  man.  The  '  Daily  Headings '  appear  to  us  quite 
unique.  The  evil,  which  the  author,  according  to  his 
own  statement  in  the  preface,  is  most  anxious  to  com- 
bat, is  the  religion  of  false  security  and  ease,  a  form  of 
godliness  without  life,  power,  and  growth.  His  repre- 
sentations of  truth  are  very  comprehensive  and  search- 
ing ;  and  while  eminently  suecessftil  in  delineating  the 
features  of  a  superficial  and  sentimental  religion,  the 
consolations  of  the  gospel  are  very  fully  and  tenderly 
brought  before  the  troubled  conscience.  '  The  Anatomy 
of  the  Heart,'  is  a  most  valuable  vademccum  for  all  who 
wish  to  keep  their  heart  with  all  diligence,  and  to  grow 
in  grace  and  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  is 
a  book  which  will  be  found  eminently  needful  in  times 
of  trouble  and  perjilexity  ;  the  counsels  of  a  man  who 
was  a  true  '  soul-curer.'  Lobstoin's  style  is  simple, 
clear,  and  graceful ;  his  illustrations  from  natiu-e,  com- 
mon life,  antiquity,  and  general  literature,  short,  but 
pointed  and  striking. 

It  may  bo  worth  while  to  give  a  brief  sketch  of  the 
author's  life.  He  was  born  in  Strasburg,  1808,  and  was 
the  son  of  a  physician.  In  his  seventeenth  year  he  com- 
menced his  academical  studies,  and  devoted  himself  to 
philosophy.  After  spending  a  few  years  in  Berlin,  where 
the  influence  of  Schleiermacher  and  Neander  left  him  un- 
touclied,  he  was  called  to  a  classical  professorship  at  the 
Lyceiun  of  Miihlhausen.  Here  he  occupied  himself 
chiefly  with  the  study  of  Plato,  and  as  was  the  case  of  the 
great  German  Church-historian  just  mentioned,  it  was 
in  connection  with  this  study  that  he  first  became  clearly 
conscious  of  the  deeper  wants  and  longings  of  his  soul. 
Influenced  by  the  preaching  and  personal  character  of 
a  French  pastor  then  labouring  in  Miililhausen,  he 
commenced  the  study  of  the  New  Testament,  and, 
though  it  cost  him  many  severe  struggles  to  emanci- 
pate himself  from  retinalistic  prejudice,  he  soon  em- 
braced with  humility  and  joy  the  truths  of  the  gospel 
in  their  simplicity.  Prayer,  meditation  on  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  ^asitation  of  the  poor  and  sick,  were  at  that 
time  his  most  congenial  occupations.  He  subsequently 
entered  the  ministry,  and  laboured  in  Miililhausen, 
Odessa,  for  a  short  time,  as  professor  in  Geneva,  and 
finally  in  Basle,  where  he  died  on  January  26,  1855. 
We  conclude  with  a  few  of  his  sayings  during  his  last 
iUness,  precious  in  themselves,  and  eminently  character- 
istic of  the  man. 

'  I  never  could  have  thought  that  I  should  have  such 
a  consciousness  of  victory  in  death.  The  Lord  leads 
mc  from  step  to  step,  the  prospect  is  enlarging;  a  land 
of  light  is  opening  before  me,  a  heavenly  Italy.  .  .  . 
Prayer  has  changed  its  character ;  it  is  more  receptive  ; 
I  am  not  able  to  take  in  all  th(!  Lord  is  giving  me — it 
is  fellowship  immediate  and  continuous.  I  breathe  the 
atmosphere  which  surrounds  the  Saviour ;  I  feel  that 
the  Lord  sends  His  angels  to  minister  unto  the  heirs 
of  salvation.' 

Uber  Jem  sundlose  Vollkommenheit.  Von  Dr.  T.  A. 
DoBNF,K.  Gotlm  1862.  \  On  the  Sinless  Perfection 
of  Jfsiix.  By  Dr.  DoHNKu.  Reprinted  from  the 
Jahrliiicher  fiir  Deutsche  Thcologic.\ 

Although  wo  possess  many  admirable  works  on  this 
subject.,  such  as  UUmann's  Sinlessness    of  Jesus, 


Young's  Christ  of  History,  Edmund  de  Presseuse,  Le 
liedenipteur,  Bushnell  On  the  Character  of  Jesus, 
Dr.  Dorner's  Essay  ia  a  most  valuable  contribution  to 
Christian  apologetics.  Limiting  himself  to  the  question, 
whether  we  have  sufficient  historical  e\'idence  to  regard 
the  sinlessness  and  perfection  of  Jesus  as  an  historical 
fact — he  discusses  first  the  relation  of  Christ's  true 
humanity  to  sinless  holiness.  J esus  is  an  individual  as 
other  human  beings  round  him,  but  he  is  at  the  same 
time  the  Son  of  Man,  and  the  centre  of  humanity.  The 
author  proceeds  to  show,  that  it  is  possible  for  us 
to  arrive  at  the  conviction  of  the  historical  reality  of 
Christ's  perfect  character,  and  after  a  masterly  chapter 
on  Clirist's  perfection,  in  which  he  does  not  attempt  to  | 
give  a  catalogiis  virtuium,  but  to  present  us  with  a  ] 
picture  of  a  cliaractc!-,  in  which  all  was  a  harmonious  , 
development  of  a  central  idea  and  law  of  life,  he 
concludes  with  suggestive  and  excellent  remarks  on  the 
importance  of  this  subject  for  Christian  apologetics. 
'Jesus,  as  accredited  by  history,  is  a  miracle  in  the 
world,  a  miracle  which  does  not  interrupt  its  order, 
but  which,  on  the  contraiy,  restores  by  the  power  and 
example  of  its  sacrifice  the  true  idea  of  humanity,  in 
which  creation  finds  its  culminating  end ;  which  restores 
to  Kosmos,  the  world  which  had  become  a  moral  chaos. 
It  is  not  within  the  limits  of  this  essay  to  enquire  into 
the  question,  how  such  an  individuality  could  rise  in 
the  midst  of  a  sinful  race  ;  the  object  which  we  proposed 
to  ourselves  is  gained,  if  we  have  shown  that  the  sinless 
perfection  of  Jesus  is  a  liistorical  fact,  which  a  sound 
historical  mind  is  bound  to  accept  as  much  as  any  other 
authenticated  fact,  and  if  we  have  thrown  some  light 
on  the  originality  of  that  perfect  character.' 

Highly  as  we  value  this  paper  in  its  apologetic 
aspect,  we  need  scarcely  add,  that  it  contains  many 
exegetical  remarks  and  hints  of  the  highest  importance. 

Zur  Verantwortung  des  christlichen  Glauhens.  Zehn 
Vortriige,  gehalten  vor  Mdnnerii  aus  allefi  Stdnden 
durch,  Prof.  Aubeklen,  Gess,  P.  Reiswehk,  Eiggen- 
BACH,  Stahelin,  Stockmeyer,  2to  Auflage.  Basel, 
1862.  [Contributions  to  the  Defence  of  the  Christian 
Faith.  Ten  Lectures  before  a  mixed  audience  of 
Men.    By  Atjbeelen,  &c.] 

Tirr.sE  lectures  treat  of  the  liighest  problems  in  a 
popular  manner,  avoiding  as  much  as  possible  scliolastic 
teiTriinology  and  minute  detail,  but  at  the  same  time 
with  great  profundity  and  conscientiousness,  their  aim 
being  to  prove  that  Christianity  and  tlio  results  of 
modern  science  do  not  conflict,  and  to  present  a  view  of 
the  leading  facts  and  doctrines  of  Scripture,  with  special 
reference  to  the  difficulties,  objections,  nnd  misrepre- 
sentations of  the  age.  They  were  originally  delivered 
in  Basle,  and  as  the  accommodation  was  limited,  the 
audience  consisted  exclusively  of  men.  Manliness 
characterises  the  lectures,  of  which  we  subjoin  the 
titles:— 1.  What  is  Faith ?  by  Eiggenbach  ;  2.  Nature 
or  God  (a  masterly  treatise 'on  miracles),  by  Gess;  3. 
Sin,  its  nature  and  consequences,  by  Stahelin ;  4.  The 
Old  Testament,  and  its  relation  to  the  Heathen  World, 
by  Auberlen  ;  5.  On  the  Person  of  Jesus  Christ,  by 
Eiggenbach ;  6,  Christ's  Atonement  for  Sin,  by  Gess  ; 
7.  Jesus  Chri.st,  the  Eisen  and  Glorified  Saviour,  by 
Auberlen ;  8,  'I'ho  Holy  Spirit  and  the  Cliristian 
(Church,  bj'  Preiswerk ;  9.  Justification  by  Faith,  from 
an  ethical  point  of  view,  by  Stockmeyer;  10,  Immor- 
tality and  Eternal  Life,  by  Stiihelin. 

We  do  not  wonder  that  lectures  containing  so  much 
instruction  and  suggostivi'  thought,  and  iSTitten  with 
such  candour,  breailth,  and  genuine  love,  have  met 
with  so  favourable  a  reception,  and  sincerely  hope  that  , 
they  will  soon  be  accessible  to  tile  mere  English  reader,  \ 
and  bo  helpful  to  many  a  perplexed  and  earnest  seeker 
of  truth. 


64 


^^•OKK  OF  THE  CHRISTLVX  CIIUECII. 


March  2, 1863. 


STATISTICS  OF  SOCIETIES  EOE  FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 


When 
Foun- 
ded 


SOCIETIES 
■I 


1701 
1792 
1795 
1800 

jl816 
1317 


1840 
M843 
,  1844 
,  1844 
1850 
'  !  1850 


1860 
1860 
18G0 


11824 
I»I1 
1842 

1843 

1847 


BRITISH. 

ENGLAND. 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  ( 

Foreign  Parts  (1)   1 

The  Baptist  Missionary  Society  -J 

The  London  Missionary  Society  | 

The  Church  [of    England]    Missionary  f 
Society        ..   ( 

The  General  Baptist  Missionary  Society  | 


Wesleyan  Missionary  Society 

The  Scriptural  Knowledge  Institution 
Welsh  Foreiirn  Missionary  Society  . .  . 

The  Lew  Chew  Naval  Mission  

Enirlish  Presliyteriaii  Foreign  Mission  . 


Agents 


Thr  Pni 


1  Mi. 


1816 
182R 
1853 
1836 
1836 

1836 
1850 
1852 


1835 
1842 
1846 


The  Cliiiiese  Evangelisation  Society 

The  Cliinesc  Society  for  Furthering  thel 

Gospel  ( 

Turkish  Missions  Aid  Society   | 

Christi.m  Vernacular  Education  Society 
Primitive  Mrtliodist  Missionary  Society 
Free  Uniled  Mrtliodist  Missionary  Society  .. 

The  Moslem  Missionary  Society   

The  Baptist  Mission  to  China  


SCOTLAND. 
Church  of  Scotland's  Foreign  Mission 

The  Edinburgh  Medical  Mission   

The    Reformed    Presbyterian  Church's^ 

Foreign  Mission  ) 

The  Free  Church  of  Scotland's  Foreign  / 

Mission  \ 

The  United  Presbyterian  Church's  Foreign  ( 

Mission  I 

IRELAND. 
The  Irish  Presbyterian  Church's  Foreign! 
Mission  j 

COjNrTmENTA.Ii. 

GERMANY.  . 
MoraviftD  Missionary  Society  (2)       ..  ..I 


800,  including  Cntcchists,! 
Teachers  and  Students  | 
!  Missionaries ;  143 1 
otber  Api'nts  • 

170  Missionaries;  7001 
Native  Agents     ..  .,J 

■2C.G  Clergymen;  2,1461 
ther  Agents  f 

8  Missionaries ;  24  Assls-I 
lant  Missionaries..  ..f 
7  Missionaries;  1,2-14 1 
other  Agcnt- 

4  ditto 
2  ditto 

5  ditto 


Sta- 
tions 


Commu- 
nicants 


Scho. 
lars 


naries 


ditto*[l  Medical] 


155  Missionaries; 
otber  Agents .. 


J  Mi 


57  Missionaries  (10  Na- 
ti%'e) ;  97  other  Agents 

55  Missionaries;  Co  other' 
Agents  


'  Missionaries  (1  Native) 


180  MiHsionarirs ;  120) 
other  Agents  / 

7fi  Missionaries; 92 other) 

Agent*  I 

Missionaries;  12  Catoc. 

.>■>  ditto   

17  MiAnionariei  

11     Missionaries ;  83) 

other  Agpnts  i 

l-.i  ditto 
ditto 


The  Raile  Missionary  Society  (3)      , .  „ 
The  Rhenish  Minsionnry  Society    ..  .. 
The  Berlin  Mi*slonary  Society       ..  .. 
GossnerN  Evangelical  Union  (4)     . .  .. 
The    Evangelical     Lutheran  Missionary 

Society  

The  North  German  Mie'ionary  Society 
The  Berlin  Missionary  Tnion  for  China 

The  Herrmannsburg  Missionary  Society  f' i:»0,  of  whom  about  1001 

(5 1   \\    are  Colonists  f 

The  Jerusalem  Society   |  — 

FRANCE.  I 
Paris  Society  for  Evangelical  Missions  . 

SWEDEN  and  NORM'AY. 
Stockholm  Missionary  Society 
NorwcKian  Mis^ionarj  Society  , 
The  Lund  Missionary  Society 


1 1  Missionariei 


DENMARK. 
1860    The  Oanisb  IMissionary  Society 


1857 

18S7 
1812 
1842 
1843 
1844 

1845 


HOLLAND. 
The  Netherlands  Missionary  Society  . 
Heldcring's  Missionary  Society 


AMERICAN. 

UNITED  STATES.  ( 
The  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign< 

Missions  (6)   f 

The  Baptist  Missionary  Union  | 

The     Methodist     Episcopal     Missionary  i 

Society  1 

The  Episcopal  Board  of  Missions  

The  I'rce-Vill  Baptist  Foreign  Missionaryl 

Society  / 

Tlie  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  tlie  I 

Presbyterian  Church  ) 

Lutheran  Foreign  Missionary  Society  .. 
Seventh-Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society 
American  Indian  Missionary  Association  .. 
The  Baptist  Free  Missionary  Society    ..  .. 
Tlie    Associate    Reformed    Presbyterian  1 

Board  of  Missions   ( 

The  Southern  Baptist  ConTcntion  Board  ofl 
Missions   j' 

The  American  Missionary  Association  ..  .. 

'BRITISH  NORTH  AMERICA. 
1848    The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Pres-l 
byterinn  CInirrh  of  Nova  Scotia     ..  ,.) 


218  Native  Preachei^^. 

539  other  A^fnts  ..  I 
41     Missionaries;  387) 

other  A^entA  ..  . .  j 
45    Missionaries;  1021 

other  Agents  ( 

IC  Miss.;  26  other  Agent 

8  Missionaries  , 

82  Missionaries;  311) 
other  Agents       ..  ../ 

7  Missionaries  , 

5  ditto   

28  ditto   

9  ditto   


ditto 
ditto 


ditto 


6.576 
5,800 
25,192 

21.2CI 


(  200  1 
iBapt.J 


Abt.  20001 
200  ] 
Abt.  4000 


16,174 
3,075 
550 
75 
2.779 


5,574 
56,561 


Fields  of  Labour 


/East  and  West  Indies,  South  Africa,  Australia,) 
t    New  Zealand,  North  America   / 

India,  ^Vest  Indies,  West  Africa.  China  . .  . . 
/South  Seas,  West  Indies,  South  Africa,  Mauri-l 

t     tins.  India,  China,  Madagascar   

(Wen  Indies,  West   Africa,  Egypt,  Abyssinia, 
<     Turkey,   West   Asia,    India,  Ch' 
I    Ze  aland,  America,  Mauritius  . .  . 

India,  China   

fWest  Indies,  Africa,  India,  China,  Australia,' 

1  Polynesia   

t  Syria,  India,  Penang,  China,  British  GulanM 
I     British  North  America   J 

Brittany,  India  

Lew-Chew   

China  


isinia,  j 
New> 


Income 


China  

China  

European  and  Asiatic  Turkey 


£ast  Africa 
China    . . 


New  Hebrides 
India,  KafTraria  • 


/West  Indies,  M'est  Africa,  South  Africa,  North) 
\    Africa,  Syria,  India  / 


India  [Rajkote,  Gogo,  Surat,  Borsad] 


(West  In 

<  Thibet, 
(    land,  I, 


Indies,  Sourh  Africa,  India,  China,) 
,  North  and  South  America,  Green- : 
abrador  I 


66,753 
36.450 
83,751 

136,898 
3,500 

138.811 
1,802 

503 
1,093 


2,792 
14,8.58 
4.282 


M'esC  Africa,  India,  China 
China.  South  Africa  .. 

South  Africa  

India   

India,  Australia  


2,658 
2,251 


4,52.1 
55 


Lapland 
South  Africa 
China    ..  .. 


852 
14,952 


45.000 

26,000 
7.000 
6,0<  K) 
2,000 
5.000 
3,100 

5,921 
700 


Moluccas,  Borneo,  East  Indies 
Dutch  Colonies  


(West  Indies,  Africa,  Turkey  in  Europe  and) 
<     Asia,    India,   Indian    Archii>elago,   China,  > 

(    Polynesia,  Nortli  America   ) 

Birmah,  Assam,  Tcloogoo,  China  

{Africa,   India,  China,    Polynesia,  North  andl 
South  America  / 

West  Africa,  Cliina  


rAfrira,  India,  China  and  Japan,  Slam,  North) 
{     and  South  America  J 

India   ■  

West  Asia,  China   

North  America  

Hayti  

India,  Turkey,  Poljmesia  

West  Africa,  China,  North  America   

M'est  Indies,  Egypt,  Siam,  Polynesia,  North) 
America   / 


—      New  Hebrides 


8,000 


19,898 

16,849 
8,935 
956 
47,595 


10,829 
9,030 


<!").  This  Society  is  Colonial  as  well  as  Foreign. 

(«).  2,000  Agents  have  been  sent  out  since  1732,  of  whom  643  died  in  Mission 
service,  9  on  Missionary  journeys,  1 1  on  voyage  out,  2  on  voyage  home, 
22  by  shipvfreck,  and  12  were  murdered. 

(o).  378  Missionaries  have  been  ".ent  out  since  its  foundation,  of  whom  237 
i^re  still  in  service,  either  with  this  or  some  other  Society. 

(4)  .  This  Mission  was  established  and  conducted  hy  one  man ;  sent  out  141 

Missionaries  to  Australia,  Polynesia.  Africa,  Sumatra,  .lava,  and 
India  ;  .ind  is  still  continued  under  Dr.  Prochnow. 

(5)  .  Tlii*  Mission  is  the  effort  of  a  pious  <;erman  Pastor  in  a  country  parish  of 
 Hanover.     Its  object  is  to  form  Chrisfian  Colonic).     It  has  its  own 


Mission  Ship,  and  purposes  sending  24  Missionaries  every  two  years. 
Tliey  are  trained  in  two  Mission  Houses  at  Herrmannsburg.  It  is 
strictly  limited  to  Protestant  Missions  to  the  heathen. 
(6).  During  50  years,  the  Board  has  sent  900  Missionaries  (of  whom  500  were 
native),  and  400  Teachers.  The  Church  Membership  from  the  begin- 
ning is  55,000 ;  the  children  who  have  passed  through  the  Schools  are 
175,000;  and  the  printed  issues  of  the  Board  are  over  1,500  millions 
of  pages. 

*  0-10  Central,  4,108  Preaching  Stations.  1 75.000  Communicants  and 
Catechumens.  %  288  Churches  and  625  Stations.  §  Excluding  the  Sandwich 
Mands. 


While  cvcrj-  care  has  been  taken  to  make  these  statistics  accurate,  they  can  only  '  e  regarded  as  approximate.  Isone  of  them  date 
further  back  tlian  18r>9.  The  map  which  is  published  in  this  number,  and  whicli  is  founded  chiefly  on  that  of  the  Uaslc  Missionarj- 
Society,  omits  necessarily  some  of  the  smaller  societies  which  are  included  here. 


For  use  to  Library  ooljf 


1-7  v.l 
Christian  Work  (London) 

llimi,"n,;I,'f,?l°?^?!;.^:":."'''_y-Speer  Library 


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