church, composed entirely of the working- Eligible The success of our day-school operations has been such, that at Tredegarroad we are enlarging our premises, at an outlay of £1,400, so as to accommodate five hundred children. At Bow Common we are about to erect a complete day and Sabbath-school establishment, with a school-chapel attached, amongst a population very poor, and almost wholly destitute of the means of grace. The entire cost of the school-buildings-exclusive of furniture, fittings, &c.-will be defrayed by the munificence of a godly and generous friend of Methodism in the east of London. The unceasing labours of the Rev. W. H. Johnston have resulted in great spiritual good, and have contributed largely to the growth of the Circuit. He has devoted much time to the German work, the fruit of which will be seen in years to come. Our increase of church-members for the year is sixty-five, and, by God's blessing, the future of this young but important Circuit is very hopeful. JOHN S. WORKMAN. 4. GREAT QUEEN STREET. (Winchester-street.)-From Rev. 4. G. Ward. May 16th, 1868.-Our prospects, spiritually considered, in connexion with our Mission in this place, are most encouraging. The pews are rapidly letting, and the congregations improve weekly. Since the opening of our Mission-chapel in November last, we have established two new classes, and re-organized our Sundayschools. Last quarter we returned an increase of eight members of Society, and several on trial for church-membership; and we hope, erelong, to report fresh additious. Within the past three months, seven families who, before their attendance at the Mission-chapel, were not in the habit of regularly attending any place of worship, have become regular hearers of the Word. For three Sundays in succession penitent sinners were found at the communion-rail seeking Him who alone can bind up the broken heart. A few weeks since, a man and his wife came to our chapel by invitation from one of the members. They seemed pleased to be spoken to by the minister. They came again; they heard, they felt the power of the truth; and soon after they sought and found mercy, and are now members of our church. Our advice to our people is,"Look out for, and be attentive to, strangers. Stand during the service your selves, rather than let a stranger stand." Whenever they bring any of their friends to chapel for the first time, we tell them not to let them leave until the minister has spoken to them; and thus many wan derers have found a home with us. the Rev. J. D. Brocklehurst.-May 12th, 5. BAYSWATER. (Bassein-Park.)—From 1868. The regulations of the Conference have been faithfully observed in this Mission; and the work in its various departments has been prosecuted with much prayer, with well-sustained earnestness; and, by the Divine blessing, with great success. Amid manifold difficulties the cause of God has steadily advanced. During the year upwards of £300 have been raised and expended in the completion and improvement of the chapel premises. Nearly all the pews are let; and the congregation, which eighteen months ago did not number a score persons, now nearly fills the chapel. In compliance with the almost unanimous request of the congregation, the morning service of the Church of England has been introduced. The Sabbathschool, Working-Men's Club, and other auxiliaries, have been steadily worked, and with good results. We have three times as many in church-fellowship as were reported a year ago; and while we thank God for past successes, we are full of hope for the future. 6. WIGAN. From the Journal of the past six months has been a season of great Rev. F. Crozier-June 29th, 1868. The trial to us, the mills working short time, and some of them being closed; added to which we have had to suffer from a strike of the colliers, lasting ten weeks. At Ince many removals have taken place in consequence of these untoward events. We are, however, thankful that we have forty-one church-members here, and that our financial condition is better than at any former time. We have formed a Sunday-school library of one hundred and fifty volumes; and have established a band-meeting on Saturday chapel and school at Platt-Bridge is unaevenings. The building of our new voidably delayed, in consequence of the From the Rev. T. Nightingale.- The Ellesmere-road Mission has been successful during the past year. On the 30th of October last, we laid the foundation-stone of the new chapel; and one thousand pounds were subscribed towards the cost of erection. Since then the friends in the Mission district have continued their weekly and monthly offerings, purposing that the chapel shall be without debt after the opening services. The building is advancing towards completion steadily, the walls being just now ready for the roof. It will contain one thousand sittings. In our present preaching-room an improvement has been observed, not only in the number, but in the regularity of attendance of the congregation, both on the Sabbath and week-night services. The Sunday-school and the day-schools have successfully continued their operations. In the latter we have added another assistant master, and an assistant mistress. The discipline has improved, and the teaching has been rendered more thorough and effective. The population of the district continues rapidly to increase. Four denominations of Christians have commenced their labours in our immediate neighbourhood, since we entered the field; and whilst they have found room for working, we have been thankful to witness a steady angmeutation of our own Society, which at present numbers about one hundred members. The class-meetings and prayermeetings show that a revived spiritual life is pervading our church; and many of our people are truly earnest in evangelistic efforts. After the next Conference (1868) this Mission will be incorporated with the Circuit; yet we are not losing sight of the special operations essential to the development of the cause. Four cottage-meetings are held weekly in the neighbourhood; and open-air services are conducted by the Home-Missionary minister, in which he is efficiently assisted by some thirty zealous prayer-leaders and young men ; and by their efforts members are being added to our church and congregation. We are hopeful respecting the future. By the Divine blessing on the perfecting of our agencies, and the increased accommodation which the new chapel will afford, we confidently expect soon to see on this ground an important and flourishing Methodist church. 8. GLASGOW. (John-street.)-From the Rev. William Wilson.-May, 1868.-This important Mission continues to make progress. The large new church in Claremont-street, in the west end of the city, which has superseded the humble hall in a poor locality, is now well attended by a respectable congregation. Many of the standard-bearers of the parent church, who originated and sustained the Mission, have gone to worship in the new church, and are returned as members there; but the greater part of the congregation, and most of the members, are the result of Mission work. There have been many conversions to God during the past year; some who have removed from different parts of the country to this city have been welcomed, and provided with the means of grace; while others who have wandered from God, have been sought out and restored. In addition to the spiritual good effected, and the social and religious improvement manifest, there is also a steady increase to the funds of the church. We hope that this congregation will be immediately taken from the list of Home-Mission Stations by the appointment of its own minister by the Conference. We have abundant proof in this Circuit how Home-Mission work aids that which has been long established. No sooner was this station seen to be a success than the parent church made an effort to commence another Mission. The result is, that an application will be made, at the proper time, for the appointment of a minister to carry on a new work in another part of this populous city; an application which we earnestly hope will be granted. 9. GLASGOW. (Cathcart-road.)-From the Rev. Henry J. Pope.-May, 1868.The Home-Mission in the neighbourhood of Paisley-road in this Circuit, has been blessed during the past year with a steady and uninterrupted prosperity. The congregations in the hall have considerably increased; and now, both in the morning and evening of the Sabbath, the place is well filled. We have been constantly encouraged throughout the year, by seeing sinners brought to God; most of the cases of conversion being clear and decided, and some of them unusually pleasing. Within the last two months, six or eight young men have given their hearts to God, and joined the Mission church. The earnest piety and the spirit of unity manifested by the members themselves is also very cheering. The Sabbath-school contains nearly a hundred and seventy children, and is efficiently worked; many of the children attending it are only partially clad, and the school is doing good amongst a class which specially needs such an instrumentality. Joseph Butters.-May,1868.-The HomeMission in this place is in a healthy state, both spiritually and financially. The late depression in the ship-building trade has passed away, and encouraging signs of future prosperity appear. The large and, for some time, increasing Circuit-debt, has been considerably reduced, and will soon be entirely paid. The members of the church have been earnestly pleading for a baptism of the Spirit; and God has answered their prayers in the conversion of sinners. The number of members returned for the year, after making up for deaths and removals, is considerably in advance of last year. The congregations are good and increasing. Should the present prosperity continue, there is every reason to hope that, by the blessing of God, the cause here will be self-supporting, and a great and lasting blessing to a place much needing the the Rev. earnest, faithful preaching of the Gospel. We have almost reached the limit of the success to be expected in our present position; and the promoters of the Mission intend speedily to set about the work of building a large and commodious place of worship in the Paiseley-road. Already the way seems to be opening for the accomplishment of this much-needed work. 10. DUMBARTON.-From GENERAL RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. [The extracts which appear in our pages under the head of "General Religious Intelligence "are carefully taken from the most trustworthy sources at our command. We cannot undertake, however, to answer for the propriety, in all cases, of their literary style; to guarantee, in every instance, the accuracy of dates, or of the naines of persons and places; or to endorse all the views which, on particular subjects connected with evangelical enterprise, agents of the various Religious Societies and Committees may advance.] THE MONGOLS.-The following communication to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, from Mr. Gulick, whose station is at Kalgan, on the confines of Mongolia, will be read with much interest : In communications sent to the Missionary house from this station and from Pekin, mention has from time to time been made of the Mongols, who visit these cities in large numbers. They are far behind the Chinese in civilization; but in the eastern parts of Mongolia, where many of them have adopted the agricultural habits of the Chinese, they appear to be quite as well off as their more shrewd and money-loving neighbours. In these agricultural districts, which are limited, they live in houses like those of the Chinese, with mud walls and paper windows; but the vast territory which belongs to them is, for the most part, occupied by a pastoral people, who live in small felt houses or wigwams. They form a connecting link between the Arabs of western, and the Chinese of eastern Asia. Long journeys are taken by them for the purpose of bartering the products of their herds. Pekin is one of their favourite resorts, on account of its furnishing a large market for the frozen game and mutton which they bring in the winter. Their long caravans are now (January) daily passing through this place on their way thither. It is not uncom mon to see women and children accom panying the men on these long expeditions; the whole party being mounted on horses and camels. Though frequently making journeys for purposes of trade, they are not nomads; for their flocks and their home remain from year to year in the same place. Several of the Missionaries in Pekin have become much interested in them, and are studying their language. The time seems to have arrived when systematic efforts ought to be made for this people. Many years ago the London Missionary Society had a mission amongst a tribe of Mongols in Siberia; but the policy of the Russian government at that time, which led it to claim all the con verts as belonging to the Greek Church, resulted in the closing of the mission. The whole Bible and a number of tracts have, however, been translated and printed; aud, now that the country is accessible from the southern border, the London Missionary Society is ready to enter the field again. They If the Board is also ready to make an effort to reach the Mongols, this seems to be the right place in which to begin. There is already a station here, where we have frequent intercourse with them. We cannot avoid meeting them, and working more or less for them. come to us for medicines, for books, for information concerning geography, astronomy, and other sciences; they come to see our white faces and foreign dress, and to learn something of our customs, and of the objects that have brought us to this place. Last summer we were invited by the head man of a camp, about eighty miles to the north of this, to come and spend a month with him. He promised to put up a tent for us, and to furnish us with water, fuel, and mutton, during our stay with him. He had received medicine from us the previous autumn, when we were living in the lower city, and when he visited the place again, he sought us out in our present residence in the upper city, spoke of the kindness we had shown him during his previous visit, and made an earnest request that we would visit him at his home. It was our purpose to have complied with his wish ere this, but our duties here have rendered it impossible. Strange to say, while writing the last sentence, I was interrupted by the coming in of a Mongol chief who lives about thirty miles from here. I had not met him before, but have been acquainted with his sons. A little more than a year ago, when I accompanied Mr. Blodget on a short trip into Mongolia, we spent half a day with them. Mr. Blodget was much interested in them; and I think they were interested in the many things of which he told them. As he is well acquainted with the Chinese, which one of them also speaks fluently, he had the pleasure of communicating with them much more freely than I have been able to do. We have since met the young men several times; but we had not seen their father till he called just now. He spoke of my having visited his place during his absence, and invited Mrs. Gulick and myself to go there next summer, when he would be at home. He is known as the governor of the towers or landmarks between this part of China and Mongolia ; and is a man of quiet and unassuming manners, but of inquiring mind. He has given his sons a better education than is common even among the most favoured classes in Mongolia. One of them is familiar with the Confucian classics, and reads and speaks Chinese and Mongolian with equal fluency. This chief deplores the ignorance of his own people, and admires the skill and learning of western nations. When I told him I had a brother who I hoped would come to Kalgan to study their language and teach them, he said: "Let him come, and live with us. We will teach him our language; and he will teach our children your language and books." When I suggested that our books might be translated into their language, he seemed greatly pleased. That," he said, "will suit us better than anything else. We can hardly learn to read Chinese, how much less your language! If you teach us in our own language, we may be able to learn; but Mongols are very stupid: we do not know how to learn; we do not know how to do anything." He again said, that when my brother came, he hoped we would both come to his place and teach them. We see Like the Polynesians, the Mongols are a people of simple habits, and of strong social and religious feelings; but they possess more vigour, both of mind and body, and a character more trustworthy and less weakened by excesses. many from Kuren, the old capital of Mongolia, the home of Genghis Khan; and we are not surprised that, under such a leader, they conquered Asia and threatened Europe. It was under their protection, and in their service, that Marco Polo, at a later date, came from Venice to Pekin, where Kublai Khan had established his court. It is but a few days since a Mongol called upon us, bearing the name of Tamerlane, that great conqueror who founded the Mongol dynasty, that held the empire of India during the four centuries preceding its conquest by the English. When the present Manchu dynasty gained the sovereignty of China, the Mongols were their allies; and in consequence are still governed by their own princes, and have other privileges not granted to the Chinese. The Mongol language was reduced to writing five or six centuries ago; and they now possess translations of the Chinese classics, besides Buddhist writings and a limited literature of their own. Their writing is alphabetic; and many of the people can read. The Bible and several tracts have been translated; but the people have not one Missionary to interest them in these books, or to teach them of the Saviour who has come to open heaven to them. There is nothing to prevent the most free intercourse with them in this place; and, if commenced in prayer and faith, I believe the way will open for an extensive work among them. The progress might at first be slow; but when the truth has once made an entrance amongst them, I think its triumphs will be great and rapid. Their language is allied to that of the Turks, and is much easier than the other languages of eastern Asia. A mission can be commenced among them with less outlay than is necessary in commencing most new missions; for much preliminary work has already been done in the translation of the Bible, and the publication of grammars and dictionaries. A NAVAL OFFICER'S TESTIMONY TO THE WESLEYAN MISSION IN THE FIJI ISLANDS. The following interesting narrative, from a letter by an officer in Her Majesty's service, has been sent to the "Church of Scotland Missionary Record: " Mr. Carey and the two Missionaries from Bau, Messrs. Tait and Rooney, came on board to church this forenoon; and after an early dinner with me, we all landed for the afternoon service in the native church at Bau. Mr. Tait had arranged for a native teacher to preach, as he thought that I should like to see the whole service performed by natives. The minister was a nice-looking, very intelligent man, but not a Fijian, being a native of Tonga, one of the Friendly Islands. "Although the Wesleyans, in their own congregations, use the Church of England prayers, with some important omissions, and have a regular PrayerBook, they have not adopted the Church Service in their South-Sea Missions; but they conduct their services in the Presbyterian style, as regards extemporary prayer and preaching, only they stand to sing and kneel to pray. As a good many of the Bau people were absent in other parts at this time, the congregation was not so large as usual, but there must have been seven hundred people present, and the large church looked well filled. As is customary throughout Polynesia, the women sat on one side and the men on the other. Thakombau's (the chief) wife, with her attendant maidens, occupied a front place in the female side near the pulpit, and on the other side in front was seated the old chief in a chair, (all the rest of the natives being seated on mats on the floor-their usual custom,) with some of the minor chiefs near him. We white people occupied chairs directly in front of the pulpit, so we could see the whole congregation. The service was conducted with great order and decorum. The preacher was fluent and reverent in manner, and the congregation very atten tive and quiet. The singing was very fair; but the last note of each line always a semitone flat, which seems to be a peen. liarity in Fijian singing, as I noticed the same thing on another occasion. When we entered the church the Catechism was being repeated by the whole congregation; and that, as well as the Lord's Prayer, in the course of the service, was said in a most peculiar kind of low monotonous chant, uttered perfectly in time and unison, and having a pleasing though peculiar effect. Of course could not understand a word of what the preacher said; but from the hymn-book I was able to join in the singing. I was very much impressed with the scene before me. Only fifteen years before, every man I saw was a cannibal; and even the females were not free from the reproach, since they used to partake of the horrible food secretly, it being prohibited to them. Even Batei Abel's young wife (Thakombau's daughter-in-law) had owned to having indulged this unnatural inclination as a child. Close to me sat the old chief, Bible in hand, and spectacles on forehead, who was twenty years back one of the most sanguinary and ferocious in this terrible land; and within twenty yards was the site of the fatal oven, with the tree still standing, covered with the notches that marked each new victim. Now, how different was the scene! I cannot, however, give words to the thoughts that such a wonderful change wrought in such a place called to one's mind; but it produced an impression I shall never forget. After service, and bidding the kind Missionaries good-bye, we returned on board." THE ISRAELITE BIBLE SOCIETY. The " Allgemeine Zeitung des Judenthums" has recently published an appeal on behalf of this Society. It states that the Society, during the seven years that it has existed, has circulated more than one hundred thousand copies of their editions of the Holy Scriptures. The price at which the Pentateuch is sold is five |