faith, such love for souls, such sanctified effort, that He, whose are the silver and the gold, should refuse to allow his work to sink for lack of means, and should pour fresh resources into our treasury, then should we have the deep joy of surrendering no post already occupied, of seeing God's Word prosper in that whereto He sends it, and of brother exclaiming to brother, "The Lord is with us of a truth." This is the advice tendered us by our Honorary Secretary. You have listened to his words of glowing love and admonition; you have cordially adopted his suggestion of circles of controversial lectures, wherever practicable. We have every hope that some Missions, where the work has apparently slackened, will start into fresh life this winter. Fallow ground will be broken up; the incorruptible seed of the Word will be sown more widely than ever; and if so, will not the Great Lord of the harvest, in every case, sustain his faithful labourer? The danger, no doubt, is great, in a work like yours, of suffering your direct Evangelistic Mission to the Roman Catholics to subside into pastoral oversight of the converts. The ties which bind a spiritual father to the children he has begotten in the faith are ever strong, and when these children have been gathered from among bitter opponents they are stronger still. Nor would we for a moment deny that these converts have an urgent claim on your ministerial solicitude. They are in many cases the sheep whom you yourselves have gathered out of this naughty world, that they may be saved through Christ for ever; they are the seals of your embassy; their decay would be your weakness; their stedfastness is your life; their growth in grace must be the object of your unintermittent prayers. And, at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, they will be your joy and crown. But at the same time suffer us to remind you your main work, as Missionaries of our Society, must ever be an active aggressive proclamation of the Gospel to those who are fast bound in the misery and iron of Romish superstition. Many of the sheep and lambs, who are now of your folds, are the fruit of the labours of those who have gone before you in this holy Mission; and it is your high privilege to tread in the footprints of the Good Shepherd who left those sheep that went not astray, and sought the one which was lost until He found it. You are witnesses for that Great High Priest who stands betwixt the living and the dead-having daily before your eyes the fact that Rome preaches another Gospel, which is not another, but a perversion of the truth of God. The Gospel teaches us that through Jesus Christ we have access by One Spirit unto the Father, and proclaims in every message the first and great commandment of Jehovah, " Thou shalt have none other gods but Me." Rome practically exalts the creature to a level with the Creator to take one example out of thousands, she puts these words : nto the lips of her infant children : "Heart of Jesus, I adore Thee! Heart of Mary, I implore thee! Heart of Joseph, pure and just! In these three hearts I put my trust." * The Gospel teaches that there is one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus. Rome commands the invocation of saints as intercessors, and directs her worshippers to the Virgin Mary as the one by whom alone they can engage the ear of mercy. The Gospel teaches that Christ, having offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. Rome asserts that in her Masses this expiatory sacrifice is daily and hourly renewed. The Gospel points us to one fountain for sin, the blood of Jesus, and to one Absolver, God only. Rome prescribes her penances, and vends her indulgences, and virtually installs the Pope, and under him the priest, on the throne of grace. The Gospel bids us search the Scriptures, and presents these lively oracles to us as the sufficient and perfect rule of faith. Rome hides the Word of God to the utmost of her power, and too often makes the fragments she doles out to her followers to be of none effect by her traditions. And even penetrating things unseen, while the Gospel declares, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord," Rome invents the horrible fiction of purgatory, and extorts from the lacerated feelings of the living the performance of Masses to assuage the imaginary sufferings of the dead. We have not written these things to you, beloved brethren, because you know them not, but because you know them, and because in this our united work-(ours in council, yours in actual conflict), we would stir up your minds, as well as our own, by the remembrance that those who are the objects of this mission of love are poor, and brokenhearted, and captive, and blind, and bruised, and perishing for lack of knowledge; and that it is your lofty responsibility to exalt the name, the office, and the finished work of Him who came to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Many signs proclaim, the Judge standeth before the door. The time is short. The war, which has lasted for more than twelve cen "What every Christian must know and do." Edition, 1857. Imprimatur, Paulus Cullen. turies between the Church of Christ and the Antichristian confederacy of Rome, seems drawing to its final issue. Great Britain appears the central object of the foe's attack. Hence the insidious assaults of Rationalism on the right hand, and of Ritualism on the left. Hence the systematic approaches by sap and mine against the Irish Church. Hence the lavish expenditure of treasure in chapels, and convents, and monasteries, through the length and breadth of England. Once gain "this imperial race," and the world, they say, will lie beneath their feet. You, brethren, are on the most exposed outworks of our great national citadel; your brethren's eyes are upon you; your zea has provoked very many. If you yield, it will be as when a standardbearer fainteth; if you are bold for our God, it will strengthen the hands of thousands. The Captain of the armies of Israel might have assigned you a far easier post; but He has thought you worthy of this perilous honour. For his sake, for ours, for your own, suffer us to say to you, Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. You are not left alone, as you know well, in this momentous struggle. God's fatherly hand is over you. Your Redeemer is mighty. The Spirit of God breathes in the message of life you utter. His word is sharper than any two-edged sword, and it is in your hands. When we read that Luther spent the four best hours of every day in prayer, we do not wonder that he moved the world: you grasp the same lever. What wrought the glorious Reformation of the sixteenth century? an open Bible and a preached Gospel. It is yours to give that Word of the living God, and to preach that crucified Saviour, who said, "I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me." You are followers of those who, by faith and patience, inherit the promises. Only let us stand (we pray for you as we ask your prayers for ourselves) with our loins girt, our lights burning, like men that wait for their Lord, that when He cometh and knocketh, we may open to Him immediately. Yours, with true sympathy in Him, EDWARD AURIOL, M. J. ROWLANDSON, T. R. BIRKS, EDWARD HENRY BICKERSTETH, Sent by direction of the Committee, Obituary. It is our sorrowful duty to have to record the death of one who, from his long connection with the Society as Assistant-Secretary in the London office, must be known to many of our friends. MR. CHARLES A. JOHNSON, after having served the cause with great devotion and singleness of purpose for fourteen years, the last three of which were occupied in the arduous task of canvassing the country, was suddenly taken to rest on the 10th of February last. MISSIONARY INFORMATION. Aughrim.-The following short summary exhibits some of the tangible and visible results of the schools, in one small Mission station only, during the last fifteen years:-13 places taken by boys at the Athlone Competitive Examination; 4 ditto by girls at Roscommon; 130 children of Romish antecedents are now Protestants. Of some there is reason to believe that the truth has really touched their hearts, and that they have been "born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word." The following situations are filled by former pupils, for the most part rescued from Rome:-3 ministers of the Gospel; 4 schoolmasters; 8 schoolmistresses; 2 science masters in boarding schools; 1 clerk in a bank; 1 ditto in a merchant's office; 1 nursery governess; 2 Scripture-readers; 2 London City Missionaries; 3 carpenters; 1 gardener. Besides many who are faithfully serving their country as soldiers, constables, servants, etc. A great number of former pupils have emigrated. Athlone. I have just to report what I may call the termination of a most interesting case. A young Roman Catholic lad, who became most anxious for religious instruction, used to come regularly to Sunday School, in spite of all obstacles thrown in his way, and from a very remote and wild part of the bogs. I missed him one Sunday, and he did not appear for a long time. I found that the Priest had insisted on such a watch being put on the school that he could not get in. However, he was not to be baffled; while they were watching one Sunday School he ran off to another, and continued there until found out, when he again came back to ours; until at last the Priest insisted on his parents turning him out. He then got some employment from a farmer; and so great was his thirst for instruction, that when sent into town with a load of turf to sell, after having disposed of his produce, he would leave his horse and cart in some sheltered spot, and run off to the day-school to snatch half an hour's instruction; at last persecution followed him here also, and he disappeared, where I knew not, until, as I have just found out, he had made his way, unassisted, to the Coombe Ragged School in Dublin, where, after maintaining the struggle for three or four years, I hope he has found some rest, and is making good progress. I hope to have some other cases to report soon, but I have not often met a more interesting one than this in its simple details. " Connemara.-The Lord has been pleased in a special manner to bless the late exertions made in behalf of our Roman Catholic brethren. A young man, a National School teacher at named has abandoned Romanism. He is a very nice young fellow, about nineteen years of age, already well acquainted with the Scriptures and the controversy, and has made a noble defence of his conduct in abjuring Romanism, both before the Priest, Roman Catholic friends, and his parents. Yesterday morning he had to leave his home, being beaten out by his parents. The second young man, named is a brother of the National School teacher at He is equally intelligent and determined. The third called after St. Cumming. "It is little I thought," said his grandfather, "that when we called him after the blessed Saint, he would be now a jumper." Two other families have also come out. One man named who would not allow his son to be confirmed at the late confirmation, is now a convert. I have reason to believe that there are many more on the threshold of embracing Protestantism. is Galway. In taking up my pen to jot down some points of interest connected with our work here, I do so this month most cheerfully, because seldom before have we had more of the Divine favour manifested towards us in the Discussion Class department of our most important work here. We opened them under much doubt and painful misgiving as to their success. But since their commencement some two years ago here, we have not certainly had more interesting or successful meetings than we have bad within the last fortnight. After a lecture I delivered on the "Canonical Scriptures" on the 6th inst., several soldiers were present, and after the lecture two remained behind to ask some questions. One of these came up to me, and asked me, "Did I know him ?" "Oh, to be sure," I replied, "but what brings you here in soldier's dress ?" "Oh, sir, but for such disguise I could not have ventured here to-night." This was most deeply interesting, as showing to us the great desire this young man had to hear the truth when he came in thus disguised to baffle the watchfulness of his bigoted party. I may here mention that this young fellow, a young man of about nineteen, was one of the most regular comers to our classes last winter, and was so shaken in his faith that he then gave up his intended profession for which he was preparing, viz., the Roman Catholic priesthood. After making himself known to me, he, and the soldier with him, who proved to be his brother, on furlough, remained with us till ten o'clock, in deep and earnest conversation. We begged of him to come to the next Discussion Class, viz., that on the 10th inst. He promised to come, and did, but finding the room very full, he got timid, and asking for a pencil and paper from the person next him, he wrote down and handed into us the following remarks:-"I had intended asking many questions to-night, but seeing such a lot of Roman Catholics present, I am afraid to do so," He then hastily withdrew. Popery has experienced a great shaking in this young man's heart, beyond doubt. Upon last Tuesday evening also we had a most interesting evening, and such as gratified vastly Mr. Austin, the inspector, who happened to be in Galway at the time. There to see a number of Roman Catholic young men, with one in their midst, a Roman Catholic Bible on his lap, to which, at the instance of his companions he was making constant reference, and from which he endeavoured to draw arguments to support his views-all this was a sight not easily to be forgotten. Lough Mask.—At there are fifteen boys at the night-school, which has been, in fact, a night school and a controversial class. Several have asked for, and obtained Bibles. Several of the Roman Catholic neighbours came to the Readers by night for instruction. There is one man especially who is a member of a confraternity-a lay brother-who has a great number of hair ropes round his loins and body, and who comes for instruction to the Readers, evidently anxious, poor man, about his soul. The "hair cords" bring him no peace, and he is now advanced in years-in fact, tottering on the brink of the grave. I need not say that the Readers speak the truth in love to him, with all the earnestness his case and position call for. He may not be far from the Kingdom of God. There are very many Roman Catholics throughout the District who are equally anxious, and not a few who are convinced of the unscriptural teaching of their Church, and yet who, through fear, are hindered from boldly coming out. Errismore.-I feel thankful to be able to state that everything has gone on most favourably since my last report. The schools are well attended so far as Derrygimla and Duholla are concerned. Bunowenbeg is doing better than in past years, and our new school in Mannin is being carried on despite all the efforts of the priest to crush it. Many parents have promised to send their children after the first cursing and altar denunciation shall be over. A young man, one of our Agents in Dublin, a native of came on Christmas leave. He has visited Mannin, and addressed crowds, and in Irish laid the gospel plan of salvation before them in their native language. They heard him, and followed him to hear more, and numbers said in his presence they were convinced the priests were leading them astray, and that they believed Protestants had the right religion. I am expecting some happy results from this visit. T. C was a little boy who had lost his father in the famine year. He came to Derrygimla school, and is now one of the most active and zealous of the Agents in Dublin. On Christmas-day our new church was full from end to end. We had 241 present; many of them were scholars from the three Mission schools. Forty-nine approached the Lord's table, and the Communion collection was 11s. 6d. A few of the higher classes were present also. Those present said it was the largest congregation they remembered having ever seen in Errismore since the day of the consecration of the church. I mention it merely to give the Good Shepherd the praise and the glory, "for He only giveth the increase." Ballyconree.-Were I to enter into details in this report concerning our Missionary work during the past month, it would be nearly a recapitulation of that of the previous month. The same causes for encouragement still continue. Our Controversial Classes and Meetings have been remarkably well attended, and the spirit of inquiry which has been aroused is still manifested. At this season of the year the priests always hold confessions in the houses of the Roman Catholics, and take this opportunity to assail those who send their children to the Mission Schools with every kind of threat and denunciation that they imagine |