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to year; and have gladly paid a fair price for the copies of the New Testament, or of the whole volume of the Holy Scriptures; which, in the translations made by the Missionaries, have been printed in successive editions by the British and Foreign Bible Society.

The mention of financial success reminds us that similar success, on a much larger scale, has been witnessed in other parts of the Mission-field. The widely extended Missions in the colonies of Australia have declared themselves independent of the funds of the Parent Society ever since their formation into a distinct affiliated Conference, ten years ago; while, in addition to the support afforded to their own institutions, they have supplied Eight or Ten Thousand Pounds annually toward the expense of carrying on the Missions in Polynesia. A like liberality has been found among the Methodists of Canada, since their formation into a Conference; and the same may be said of the Conference of Eastern British America. The native churches of the colony of Sierra-Leone contribute enough to support their own native ministers. The same may be said of certain villages in South Ceylon. Some Mission-stations in the West Indies also are self-supporting. It may be safely asserted that the West-India Missions, after the emancipation in 1834, would have required little or no further help from the Home-Funds, but for certain authoritative fiscal regulations, and the extension of another ecclesiastical system, which, having the patronage of the Government, diverted the attention of the people from their Missionary pastors, and had the recommendation of being sustained, not by private contributions, but by the public resources of the islands.*

MODERN MISSIONS SUCCESSFUL.

From the brief survey now taken it may be assumed, once for all, that modern Missions have not been confined to small communities, as is sometimes asserted. But had the success been that of experiments on a small scale, it would have sufficed to encourage their extension.

A hundred years ago the population of the West Indies was nearly all pagan and idolatrous; it is now all professedly Christian.

The converted Indians of North America are a numerous people.

The Kaffirs are a nation; so are the New Zealanders, all Christianized.

The Friendly Islanders number perhaps ten thousand. The Christian Fijians are ten times that number.

The mixed people of Sierra-Leone form a large community, all, or nearly so, professing Christianity.

The less mixed population of the Gold-Coast and of the Slave-Coast have received the truth as a leaven which is making itself felt in the far interior of Africa. Even the King of Dahomi has listened to the "God-palaver" for a whole half-hour.

But there remains unevangelized the largest portion of the human race.t

The amount of Contributions and Remittances announced on the Cover of the Notices this month is £8,842. 58. 8d.

* Report of the Wesleyan-Methodist Missionary Society for 1864.

+ Statistics of Protestant Missionary Societies, 1863. Year Book of Missions, 1847.

Letters from a Private of Royal Marine Light Infantry.

NOTE.-The writer of the following paragraphs is a young man who enlisted a few years ago, and is now serving on board one of H.M. ships. Though a Jew, he paraded as a Wesleyan, and attended our services at Chatham. On one occasion, when a patient in Melville Hospital, he said he had for some time wished to speak to me with reference to religion. He asked, "Can I not be a good Christian, and a Wesleyan, without receiving Jesus, the Prophet of Nazareth, as the Messiah of God? I much enjoy our services at the LectureHall, and should like to attend weeknight meetings; but I do shrink from deserting the faith and opinions of my fathers."

Much conversation followed. He gladly read books which were lent him, bearing on the Messiahship of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and on the Christian dispensation. The Light of life shone on him, and he who had doubted was able to exclaim, "My Lord, and my God!" He was baptized into the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and has witnessed a good confession before many.-C. H. K.

Reverend Sir,-I am most unexpectedly called to go on board ship to-morrow, and am not allowed to go out of barracks to-night. I deeply regret that I am not allowed to do so, as I should very much like to have a personal interview with you before going away. I respectfully ask you, Sir, for a few papers upon religious subjects, that I may read on the voyage.

On board H.M.S. — It is with gladness that I avail myself of the opportunity to write to you, in answer to the kind and encouraging letter you sent me, dated June 17th. I would have written to you sooner, but the ship has been in some commotion ever since Prince Alfred joined us. We are now cruising about Scotland. Dundee was the first place we called at. I can assure you, Sir, we caused a great sensation in the town, when it was known the Prince was on board. Hundreds of visiters, of all classes, came to have a look at him. . . At Inverness there were similar proceedings and excitement; and, when the time for sailing came, we had the greatest difficulty to clear the ship of visiters.

With reference to better things. I think I took a wrong view of my position VOL. XI.-FIFTH SERIES.

in thinking my lot very hard when cast almost alone as a lover of Jesus on board a ship of war; but I feel much happier since I received your last letter. I do indeed find it a blessing to be able to pray to God. I make a point of praying whenever I can, and always feel more cheered and strengthened after it. Cut off from class-meetings, I wish to know whether I cannot continue a member of your class while I am at sea, and pay my weekly and quarterly contribution as before.

*

This has been a day of serious thought and prayer with me. O, how glorious it is to have a Friend to look to in time of trouble!

I feel sorry there are so few that embrace the blessed opportunity to turn to God. O, may He in His mercy rend the veil of darkness from their eyes, and show them the dreadful road they are travelling, and lead them to that path which ends in a life everlasting in our Lord Jesus Christ!

I was sorry to hear that poor Swas ill with rheumatism. I hope the Lord will give him patience under his sufferings. We can endure all earthly sufferings with cheerfulness, if we but look to the Crucified for strength.

I managed to go to the chapel at Gibraltar pretty often; and also to a Mr. there, a very devout Wesleyan. I feel thankful that the Lord gives us so many opportunities to acknowledge His goodness among His people. These breaks in the voyages are excellent; and places like Gibraltar are made, by many, places for renewing spiritual strength. As you requested, I have visited our minister there, and he received me very kindly.

...

We have just heard that H.M.S. T is expected here from Bermuda, to take some troops to England. If that is true, I shall have an opportunity of seeing S S-, which will be very pleasant, as you know, Sir, we were both baptized at the same time. I am happy to say, my faith continues strong in Christ. I have some dark moments; and I find many rebuffs in my attempts to gain some of my messmates over to the cause of Christ.

I cannot help telling you that I received news from my aunt in Manchester, saying she had received a letter from my father in America; so that I expect soon to correspond with him. But, alas! I do not know how long he

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will continue to write to me when he finds that I am baptized to the cross of Christ. I will prayerfully ask for help from our Saviour, to teach me how to deport myself toward him.

I received the Quarterly ticket all right. I am very thankful indeed for

HOME-MISSIONARY

1. LONDON.-Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-Inn-Fields.-A Home-Missionary having been appointed by the last Conference, to labour among the masses that crowd around Great Queen-street chapel, in the Second London Circuit, much prayerful consideration was given to the peculiar nature and urgency of the work, in preparation for a formal commencement. The district in which this new service for Christ has been undertaken is of world-wide notoriety; and has furnished in its name-St. Giles -a symbol and type of whatsoever is wretched and foul in human society. It must be understood, however, that the novelist who visits St. Giles to discover something in human nature whereby to turn her wretchedness into ridicule, and either to lampoon or to excuse her sins and follies, is no true witness to real life. There is a depth of misery, and sorrow, and sin, which no caricaturist can comprehend or reach, and which the mere surface of poverty and rags can never help him to explain. At the same time, it must not be supposed that the mass of moral corruption that thickens and darkens in this district is neglected or undisturbed. Social philanthropy has looked in at St. Giles with practical kindness, and some of the filthiest places have been whitewashed, and otherwise, by sanitary schemes, improved. Besides, in this district there are not only large theatres, with their purlicus of infamy and rottenness,

there are numerous Christian communities that sustain benevolent agencies promotive of temperance, physical relief, and godly instruction. When, therefore, we began our Mission, although somewhat bewildered at the magnitude of the work before us, we found ourselves in sight of examples of success, and were able to seek counsel of those who had been for some time engaged in the same service. Experience we found both encouraging and admonitory. Faithful toil, we ascertained, had been rewarded; but against a restless and impatient demand of large

the kind letters you send me; whenever I feel downhearted, I read some of them and they cheer me up wonderfully. O may our heavenly Father make your services and meetings instruments of great blessing to many benighted souls, for our Redeemer's sake!

CORRESPONDENCE.

and immediate good we were quietly warned. The first important suggestion made by a minister of extensive observation and intelligence, to whom we applied for information, was to the effect, that we should make our labour directly bear upon an improvement of the congregation in Great Queen-street chapel, and should let the people in the neighbourhood fully understand our desire and purpose. Another statement, made by a Missionary whose faithful and lengthened services in this locality gave authority to what he said, showed that this Mission-work is a work for a man's life,-a work to be undertaken with the fullest conviction of its value and need, and to be continued without interruption, and with undying zeal. These representations, it may be admitted, have, in some respects, helped to give character and direction to our movements, and have sustained the Missionary in his endeavour (as directed by the Conference "Regulations") to "give himself wholly to his distinctive and proper work." We should have been glad, no doubt, to secure some separate building or hall; but, in a neighbourhood where "ragged house-property,' occupied by the very poor, is more remunerative to its owners than dwellings in the most genteel suburbs of London, this was impracticable. We have, however, taken possession of two rooms thrown into one, close at hand to our large chapel, where for three or four years a few young men have been engaged in cominendable efforts to relieve the spiritual destitution of the place. The nearness of this "room" to our chapel enables us to work in our Mission agency with the more formal and effective services of a Christian church. The agency itself is sustained and guarded by a self-denying appropriation of its strength and time to this "separate district or neighbourhood:" the purpose being, to avoid distributing the Missionpower throughout a Circuit embracing some 300,000 souls, and reaching north of our portion of the Thames over more

than a dozen miles of country; to concentrate attention and sympathy upon one spot; and to secure, by God's blessing, an impassioned care for a people seen and known.

The minister set apart for this most important work has had to feel his way aatiously, and to enter upon new ground. "Honse-to-house" visitation very inadequately represents one portion of the daily duty performed: most of the houses in this "separate district" are

let, and sub-let, that each floor of the house, and often each room of each floor, is occupied by a separate family. It is no light task, therefore, to work faithfully through a single house; and it wil sometimes take hours to do so with any effect. But this is in course of being de. The services at the "room are interesting and encouraging. The Ragged-school is, if anything, too popular; there not being space sufficient to accommodate the boys and girls who ed into it. The fag of this engageDet is to a stranger inconceivable; and the exhibition of fun and folly, on the part of a large number of the rough lads who come to the school for a "lark," challenges no small amount of forbearance, and is a severe test of seriousness.

Mothers' meetings, and other subordinate modes of relieving the poor and helpless, are in operation. But the chief service-the one most emphatically declarative of our object-is the Sunday evening service in the "room," when we preach the Gospel to the poor. We make no attempt to compete with some charitable visiters in this district who farther their claims to attention by Faluable gifts; and we are not disposed to devote much time to a class of social questions, relating to the physical condition of the labouring classes, which, however interesting and useful, are to us, with our limited opportunities and

means,

but secondary. We feel specially called upon to show unto the people the way of salvation. A congregation is on most Sunday evenings gathered together, consisting chiefly of the poor people from the adjoining streets. The other ministers occasionally change with the Home Missionary, and take an appointment at the "room:" our testimony is uniform and strong in approval of this Mission-service. The evening I was present I was listened to, throughout, by a most attentive and serious congregation. It took some time to make up the congregation: when I was half through my sermon, three young men (one, a black) entered the room,

to whom I gave a friendly welcome, assuring them that "half a loaf was better than no bread." They stood doubting for a moment or two what to do, that is, how to act. At length they seated themselves, though very awkwardly, (one man carefully holding his cap between his knees,) and listened strangely, but respectfully, till the close of the service. One elderly man, whom I had myself invited from his door-step and had taken to the room, told me that he had lived in the place some twenty years, but had never been in the room before; and he promised to come again.

In a

For manifest and sufficient reasons, it is not deemed prudent that the Home Missionary should, as yet, publish, or give in detail, cases of success. neighbourhood abounding with “city Arabs," who live by means of something worse than their wits, there must be many adults accomplished in the art of deception. Caution, therefore, is a duty that sometimes sorely taxes our patience; nevertheless, we are forced to its exercise. At the same time, speaking in general terms, we have abundant cause to thank God for the good already wrought. The voice of penitence and of faith has been heard in the room on several occasions, creating gladness here, and, we doubt not, joy in heaven. I am free to add, that my own estimate of the spiritual result of this new agency extends far beyond the Mission-room. Our Society at Great Queen-street has been graciously refreshed, while other parts of this Circuit have been quickened and blessed; souls have been saved; and though it may be considered impolitic in respect to other Circuit agencies, and in itself too doubtful a thing, to trace this wider good to the Home-Mission, yet I hesitate not to affirm that in these services, which claim the sympathy, the prayers, and the co-operation of a large religious community, I discover the source of revivalinfluence and power to the Society itself. The simple endeavour to bless the poor around us has, I doubt not, by the good pleasure of God, brought unexpected blessings upon ourselves, and directly aided our people to a more effectual working out of their own salvation.— Samuel Romilly Hall.

2. PENARTH, CARDIFF. From a Letter of the Rev. James Shearman.October 28th, 1864.-We are thankful that the beautiful chapel, built here during the past year, is opened, and is

well attended. It has cost £1,850, toward which £1,200 has been realized. The whole cost will be paid at the end of five years. In this good work we have been assisted by Miss Morgan, of Barry-Court, who has given £250. It will be gratefully remembered that this lady liberally presented a site, &c., for a chapel and house at Cadoxton three years ago, valued at £750. We are also much indebted to Mr. Price, of Cardiff, who has given liberally and worked indefatigably; while our people have heartily co-operated in the effort. The chapel will be, doubtless, filled, when the large new Docks are opened, as we expect them to be early in the coming year. Our congregations, meanwhile, gradually and steadily improve. Three years since, Methodism had scarcely any footing here; whilst prize-fighting, gambling, cock-fighting, and other evils abounded; evils which have now almost passed away.

3. LIVERPOOL.-From the Rev. Henry Dodds.-November 24th, 1864.-I am glad to say that our Mission-room continues to be well attended, and our people are anxious to have a suitable place of worship erected. Our Tract Society is vigorously worked, and we have established some cottage-services, on a regular plan. We have set Blake's Missionary collecting system on foot in our Sunday-schools, and the proceeds of this Juvenile Home and Foreign Missionary Association will be divided between the two objects.

4. LLANDUDNO.- From the Rev. F. Payne.-November 22d, 1864.—I am prosecuting my work, which is truly Missionary, as, on my arrival, I had no house for myself and family, and no chapel (proper) in what is called my Circuit. My house I have had almost to build, and altogether to furnish, which I have, at length, accomplished, and have started (I hope, in the right way) for the erection of a chapel here, and of another at Rhyl. This work will be a difficult one. I am having drawings, &c., prepared for a good erection here, and have just purchased a most eligible site, twenty-five yards by thirty-five yards, for a chapel at Rhyl. The deposit is paid, and the agreement signed. The ground is freehold, and is at the corner of a street, securing two fronts. Please send three-dozen Juvenile Home and Foreign Missionary Collecting Books. I will do all I can to use them efficiently. I have formed a

Ladies' Committee, to prepare work for a sale, or bazaar, to be held during the visiting-season, next summer.

5. OLDHAM.-From the Rev. J. M. Wamsley. November 18th, 1864.You will be pleased to hear that our Mission in Oldham is progressing most favourably, as is manifest in enlarged congregations, and in the conversion of souls. It has had to contend with peculiar and varied difficulties, consequent on the distress which has prevailed here during the last few years. Notwithstanding this, the work has been successful. Methodism is taking a prominent and influential position among a large and increasing population; and, when the existing depression shall have passed away, this will be more fully apparent in the increased income of our Local and Connexional funds. We have just had a series of services at the Mission-chapel, ducted by all the ministers of the Circuit. Much zealous effort was put forth in distributing tracts, and in inviting persons to come and hear. The attendance was large, including many who had habitually neglected public worship, some of whom were made subjects of the converting grace of God.

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6. PORTESSIE.-From the Rev. Thomas Major.-November 25th, 1864.—I am thankful to be able to report progress since my arrival three months ago. Most of our members and their families were away at the herring-fishery when I entered upon my work. After they returned, I took the first opportunity to explain the nature of class-meeting, stating that the next Sabbath I would take down the names of those who were willing to observe our rules. On that day about forty persons voluntarily gave in their names for membership. On the next Sabbath there was an addition, and so on the Sabbath following; until more than fifty persons had united themselves in church-fellowship. My next difficulty was respecting classes and class-leaders. By the blessing of God, however, this is now surmounted. Yesterday, I finished the division of the Society into classes, of which we have two at Portessie; one at Findochty, (a village about two miles distant,) one at Portgordon, about three miles distant; and a fifth in Buckie, a village or town about a mile distant. To each of these I have appointed a leader. My plan is to visit each class twice or thrice in the quarter; and to

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