the night school is a most valuable missionary agency for these, and probably all parts of the country, if properly superintended, and honestly carried out. Ossory Mission.-The work in this district during the last month has been of a peculiarly interesting nature. The death of the Rev. Mr. Ryan, curate of Shirley, Hants, has afforded your Agents an opportunity for much conver. sation. Before his conversion, he was well known and highly respected in the neighbourhood as a Roman Catholic priest; and as his parents lived in the district, his renunciation of Romish error produced quite a sensation at the time. The priests did what they could to conceal the fact, and, as is usual, accounted for his absence by saying, he was on a mission in another country; but now that he has proved his sincerity by five years' consistency of life and hard work in the ministry of the Church of England, and having died in her communion, honoured and lamented by all his parishioners, every mouth is shut against him, and very many are led to inquire what were his reasons for leaving the Church of his forefathers. If a memoir of this gentleman was to be written, it would prove a very interesting brochure, and would tend to encourage others to go and do likewise. I am entirely satisfied that very many of the intelligent and better informed of the Roman Catholics of this country would leave Rome but for the persecution they would be sure to meet with.

The intolerance of the clergy is most impatiently borne with; they smart and chafe under their exactions and dictations, and many who are not prepared to leave Rome, would gladly curb and restrain them; but as yet their discontent is only like the premonitory symptoms of an earthquake. To your Agent, Ein E- "" a respectable farmer said, "There is no living now-a-days with these young priests; they wish to have everything their own way. The old priests were far superior, there was no stirring up of ill-will between Protestants and Romans, as is the case now; for my part, I never will be influenced by them, as many Protestants are my best friends."

Although we cannot point to num. bers coming out of Rome, yet we have abundant evidence that the seed is taking root; the following will serve as an illustration : Can you take a walk with me

M

into the country ?" said one who holds a responsible situation to your Agent "With pleasure," said the latter; and so they went for nearly three miles, conversing all the time upon the most momentous subjects. Towards the end of the walk, the Roman Catholic said, "It is now nearly two years since I had the first conversation with you, and I candidly confess to you, that such an effect has been produced on my mind I have given up confession, and, but for my wife, I never would enter a chapel again; but even of her I have hopes, as her eyes seem to be opening. The newspaper report of Father Ryan's conversion and death had a great effect upon her. Don't be discouraged about the circulation of the handbills; though some of them are torn, I often see them taken up and kept, in order that the points put forward in them may be discussed at night."

Seeing another young man following him a long way, your Agent walked slowly until he came up, when he said, "I have followed you a long way, expecting you would drop a bill; if you have any, give me one." "I have no bill at present, but I have a little tract; I did not intend to part with it, as it was given me by that good man, the late Dr. D

T

of

"Let me have it," said he, "for he was a good man. After conversing with you one day, I went to church twice in T- and heard Dr. Dpreach, and since then I have never believed any of the bad things the priests say against your Church."

This is one of the many proofs I have had that the falsehoods of the Roman Catholic priests recoil upon themselves.

*

Another Reader mentions a conver sation he had with a man on the subject of Absolution and the Sacrifice of the Mass. The man at first admitted that we could only be saved by God alone, but after a little he asked, "Why did God send his Son at all ?" I answered, "That be might redeem us by laying down his life for us as a sacrifice to God." He then said, "Christ was offered up by the priest." I answered, "It could be no atoning sacrifice, as there was no blood in it, therefore, no pardon of sin." He said, "the priest pardons sins." I said, "He could not." He said, "If they could not, what good are they?" answered, "If they set forth salvation through Christ alone, they would be doing

I

a good work. He said, "My religion was set up by two men." I asked, "Who they were, and what they taught contrary to the Apostles' teachings ?" To this he made no reply.

The same Reader mentions a conversation he had with a woman on the subjects of Purgatory and the Intercession of the Virgin. This woman conversed freely with him; she ascribed our salvation in part to the Blessed Virgin. The Reader asked if the Blessed Virgin suf fered on the cross with our Saviour; she said not. She admitted she was a sinner saved by grace, and that it would be a great blessing not to undergo the pains of purgatory after death. The Reader was able, he adds, in this case, to show her God's way of salvation.

Another Reader reports, concerning his district, as follows: "The almost total absence of violence, or open hostility-a considerable number of people willing to hear and be friendly, while many more are civil; some of the better class of farmers and shopkeepers have, of late, shown a disposition to be friendly with a few of the latter. I had some little conversation on religion, begun by themselves, was called into many houses that I did not expect I should be allowed to stay in."

Errismore.-I send you the state of our schools, and attendance on the Sabbath at present. I have visited the O and D schools, just opened after the Christmas holidays. There were 52 present in the latter yesterday, and 45 in the former this day; that is, 97 scholars in the two schools. I consider that a very good attendance (where not one ounce of food has been given for the last two years) as most encou raging; and the four-fifths of the scholars are children of Romanists, or of converts from Romanism.

The other two schools, R and M-, are much below this mark, but the priests have made great efforts to injure these two weak schools, but still we maintain our ground, and all the children attending them are those of Romish parents who have defied the priests, and still send their children to Mission schools. I hope to visit one of them to-morrow, and the other, D.V., on Monday; the attendance on the Sabbath is as large as at any period for many years past. Some new converts-heads of families-have lately joined our congregation. One of them comes four miles

on Sundays to chuch regularly, and passes by the Romish chapel every Sunday to come to church with his family. Another is so good a Protestant that he approached the Lord's table on Christmas day, because, he said, he was yearning for many years to receive the Lord's Supper, as administered according to 1 Cor. xi., receiving it in remembrance of our Lord's one sacrifice. I was in a great difficulty, as he gave me no notice of his intention. (He was the forty-fifth person who presented himself that day. I feared to receive him lest he should not be sufficiently instructed, and I feared to reject him, lest the repulse would be a shock to him which might keep him away from the means of grace. I lifted my eyes and heart to the Holy Spirit for direction, and I thought the answer was, "Not to judge ;" so I dealt with him as with the others, and I was glad to have Mr. Cory's approbation of what I did, when I told him of my difficulty. Other new converts have come to our church also, and a large number of Romish children have come to our schools.

We have our prayer-meeting this week for a blessing on the Lord's work in this and in other lands, and for thanksgiving for the Lord's mercy to our Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Royal Family-in which converts and school children heartily unite in prayers and thanksgivings.

Dublin (SAILORS).-As I promised to furnish you with some more interesting details concerning the work amongst sailors, I shall write for you the following:

Though weak the instrumentality, I have had great reason to believe that my exertions and labours have been accompanied with a rich blessing, and that the Lord has been graciously pleased to abundantly water the good seed sown, and cause it to take deep root in numbers of instances.

Although I have met with some bigotry, especially from the coal-porters, and even, on one or two occasions, violence, and have often seen sailors abused and (they themselves told me) threatened, because they spoke to me, or received the handbills or tracts; still, I have the greatest cause for thankfulness, inasmuch as that I feel God has been with me, preserving and blessing me in my work.

As well as having great access amongst Roman Catholic sailors, and having very many opportunities each week of speaking to them about their souls, and putting Jesus before them as the sinner's only and sure refuge, I find also each day more and more how much the Protestant sailors value the controversial work, the handbills, classes, conversations, sermons, lectures, and the services in the Mission Church. In several cases I have brought threes and fours to the controversial classes to get instruction, by their own request; and numbers have told me how, by thus gaining information, and by means of the handbills, they have been instrumental in doing much good amongst their own friends and others. I know several captains of vessels who take large numbers of the handbills to different parts of England and Scotland for distribution; and I was greatly delighted and cheered when having a talk lately with one of these, a captain from MHe said that he felt, since he began to attend our services in the Mission Church, great good has been done to his soul, and that he has received the greatest benefit and blessing; and only wished that many more would attend the services. He takes the controversial handbills home and distributes them.

The Editor of the "British Workman sent us a supply of the First Epistle of St. Peter, taken from the Roman Catholic Version, and I have now distributed between 150 and 200 of them; and I could not describe the good and assistance which they have been to me. Indeed, of late, I firmly believe that they have been the cause of the very encouraging work and conversations which I have had with Roman Catholic sailors; for these Epistles give me an opportunity of bringing out the simple and plain truth in opposition to error. Numbers of Roman Catholic sailors have gladly accepted of them; and even, in one instance, a Roman Catholic sailor, with whom I had a most interesting conversation for more than half an hour in the Ringsend Dock, not merely thanked me for one I gave him, but was so delighted with it, especially taken by John iii. 16, 17, in large letters on the back, that he said he would frame it and put it up in his room at home; and it would take a good while to tell what of the deepest interest I had the

opportunity of bringing before this man, who, as well as the three Protestant sailors also present, was most attentive, especially as I directed their attention to chapter ii. 24, Luke xvii. 10, and John iii. 16, and they all thanked me.

The Irish Roman Catholic sailors are the most bigoted, especially those from Wexford; and so one feels thankful and encouraged when any of these men lis ten, and any good result follows; and so I was greatly cheered when, amongst others, one of these not only listened to me attentively, but gladly accepted of one of the Epistles, and was much impressed as I spoke to him on chapter ii.

24.

Moyrus.-During the last month we had much to contend with in this retired district. The priests were never so violent at any former period. The converts were firm, earnestly contending for the faith once delivered to the saints, looking to the Lord for strength to give them the victory. I rejoice to say the good work is progressing. The people, as a rule, hear the Word of God with respect and attention. Your Agents receive a joyous welcome into the houses around us, and there is now a great stir on the subject of religion. Many of our people had been ill of fever. It was very cheering to witness those strong in the faith, resting solely on the finished work of Jesus, thus affording strong evidence of the reality of their conversion. We have few friends to afford any aid to our numerous poor persecuted converts in this remote region, yet neither murmur nor complaint escapes their lips; they bear their trials with exemplary patience, thus commending the truth even to our enemies. When they meet together, they talk over the precious things that belong to their peace. We had some very interesting letters from former members of our congregation towards the end of the year-one from New Orleans, and two from Boston, and all of them afford strong evidence that the writers stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made them free, and are labouring to bring the truth before their fellow-countrymen abroad. We have great reason to thank God and take courage.

Bunlahinch.-I am thankful to God that there is a door of utterance open all through the district, and that the Reader also, and his message, is received with thankfulness in every part of the

parish; the Reader speaks with much thankfulness of the door of usefulness that God is opening for him. We recog. nize and experience God's presence with us in our work. We held our missionary prayer-meeting on the 16th. I am, thankful to say though the number present was not as large as usual, that our meeting was more than usually interesting. I made some introductory remarks in reference to the original establishment of the Society, its progressive steps or strides, and the happy results that have followed from the agency and work of the Society throughout our dark land. We referred to the great spirit-the founder of the Society-now entered into his rest. We had some after addresses, read four chapters, sang four hymns, and prayed that God, our God, would pour his richest blessings on the country, the Missionaries, the Agents, and instruments of the Society, and that they may be made the happy instruments of awakening souls in spiritual sleep, and bringing them into the fold of Christ's flock, the fold of Jesus.

We can say that God, of a truth, in spirit and truth, was among us, and that we departed from our meeting under the solemn conviction that God left a blessing behind upon our heads and hearts.

Iar Connaught.-Storm and rain more violent and continuous than I have ever

experienced during now nearly seventeen years' sojourn in the West of

Ireland, hindered a good deal the work of visiting during the past month. Still, however, the sowing of gospel seed has not been neglected, nor have tokens of spiritual progress been wanting. Our Sabbath services, and two cottage prayermeetings, have been attended by Roman Catholics, and just as the month was closing, an old man, who had come out from spiritual Babylon more than twenty years since, and who had suffered for many months from a lingering illness, bade farewell to pain and sorrow, and died happily and peacefully in the full persuasion of his Saviour's love. Especially during the last few weeks of his life, this man seemed to hunger for spiritual food, and warmly did he welcome the visits paid him by my wife, myself, and Reader, who lived near. At the end, there was little or no pain. A few converts, and one Roman Catholic, witnessed with me his happy departure. Two daughters of this man, also Inverin converts, died most happy deaths a few years since, one in Galway, the other in Dublin. Two other daughters, one in Tuam, another in England, and a son, a policeman, stationed in the North of Ireland, with the aged widow at Inverin, all steadfast converts from Romanism, still survive. Small and feeble though God's flock at Inverin now appears to mortal eye, the day of our Redeemer's glory will alone fully manifest how many souls have in this district been kindled into heavenly life.