and, with the exception of £120 lent by the Chapel Committee, paid for; the great need of which is shown by the large congregations which assemble therein.

At the Quarterly Meeting held at Southend on the 27th of March, we were favoured by the attendance and counsel of the Rev. Luke H. Wiseman, President of the Conference, and of the Rev. Charles Prest; and we were able to return one hundred and seventy-seven Church-members, being an increase of twenty-five on the year. Services held in the beginning of the quarter, which were blessed to the conversion of sinners, and to the strengthening of believers, were gratefully alluded to. In the evening the first Home Missionary Meeting at Southend was held in the new chapel, and was addressed by the ministers jast named, whose able speeches were listened to with marked attention by the numerous congregation, and elicited an unexpectedly large collection.

3. LONDON. (Old Kent Road.)-The Rev. James Bransom writes, March 21st, 1873, There are now sixty-six Churchmembers connected with this Homemission station, which is an increase since March, 1872, of thirty-two. Our income has also advanced by five pounds two shillings and sixpence during the year, and shows a quarterly average of two shillings and ninepence three farthings per member. The sittings in our iron chapel are nearly all let, and in our school about two hundred and fifty children are efficiently taught and cared for. Preparations are being made for the erection of a new and large chapel, on the eligible site which has been procured. We have great cause for thankfulness to God, who has thus blessed us with

success.

It came into our hands about two months ago. The mission-chapel stands on one corner of a large factory estate. It was built by the proprietors chiefly for the use of their workmen, but also for the population of the neighbourhood. Originally the nearest clergyman of the Church of England held the place on very easy terms, and conducted or superintended the mission-work with great success. In course of time, however, he removed, and was succeeded by one of another order. Adopting practices commonly known as "High-Church" the new-comer offended against the sentiments and sense of the working-men; as a consequence the good work declined, until at length the place was shut up.

The way in which the chapel came into our hands has been formerly explained: the proprietors have been our friends throughout the arrangement. It was opened for Divine service on the evening of Wednesday, February 19th, when the Rev. Charles Prest preached to a very good company of people. On Sunday, February 23rd, I preached in the afternoon and evening, when the congregations were again excellent; that in the evening filling the place, which will accommodate about two hundred and fifty persons. At all the services the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit were felt, and I have every reason to believe that the good work of conversion has already commenced.

One of the most important features of the mission here, if not indeed the most important of all, will be the care of the young. The courts and alleys, of which there are a more than ordinary number just about this part of the Old Kent Road, swarm with children. On a fine Sunday morning or afternoon they empty themselves into the streets, which are thus literally overrun with them. We commenced our work among them on Sunday, March 2nd. Small handbills, announcing our intention, had been distributed in the previous week. Our numbers were, in

Manor Street.-March 8th.-This is a new mission-centre, about fifteen minutes' walk from our present iron chapel and the site for our new chapel.

THE EVANGELIZATION OF SPAIN. Under the headings of "What has been done," "What might have been done," "What may yet be done," a writer in 'Evangelical Christendom" invites discussion on the best system for promoting the evangelization of the Spanish people. His paper will prove of interest even to those who may not entirely fall in with his views.]

What has been done.-The ordinary routine of modern missions has been followed. On the breaking out of the revolution in September, 1868, the few exiled Spanish converts who were waiting in faith and hope for the opportunity of returning to their native land to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ, rushed in at once, and before long settled down in different cities. Other labourers, mostly foreign, followed, and likewise settled down in the same or other towns, conformably to the decision of those who sent them forth. Naturally and properly, Madrid and Seville were the first to see the Gospel standard unfurled. Subsequently the following towns were similarly taken possession of as mission-stations :-Cordova, Malaga, Granada, Cadiz, Saragossa, Carthagena, Barcelona, Valladolid, Alicante, Jodar, Huelva, Mahon, Camuñas, La Seca, Gracia, Barceloneta, Vallehermoso, Linares, and Santander. I Dame these towns in the proximate order of their permanent occupation, as far as I can recollect, omitting one or two other places, such as Constantina, occupied for a time, but now vacant. There may be one or two smaller places, occupied as out-stations, of which I have not

heard. In a few of these cities there are two, three, or more congregations, the metropolis having the largest number. With few exceptions, the work has prospered more or less in all the stations.

I

What might have been done.-When the apostles went forth to Christianize the world, they scattered the precious seed over large extents of ground, some embracing entire kingdoms, stopping longer or shorter periods in the principal cities, forming Churches, and appointing over them stated pastors, bishops, or presbyters. purposely abstain from assigning to them any one specific designation, since it is not my purpose to discuss the primitive ecclesiastical polity. Had apostolic example been followed in Spain, instead of the existing congregations in some twenty towns, there might now have been a far larger number of mission-stations. If, instead of settling down at fixed spots, the labourers, disregarding the exigencies of Societies and Churches for immediate tangible results, had spent the first year or two in preaching everywhere, scattering the seed of the Word over the length and breadth of the land, who can doubt that the results at the present time would have been most glorious? True, this system of itinerant evangelization would have involved greater outlay, more discomfort to the labourers, and less immediate encouragement to their supporters; but the Gospel would have spread over a far greater extent of ground. During the first two years after the revolution, the people in the greater part of Spain were most eager to hear the Gospel,

and ready to welcome the Evangelical messengers with gladness. But the opportunity was lost. The labourers were tied down to particular places from the outset, and the result is, that there are at present about twenty towns where Evangelical congregations or churches exist, instead of a hundred or more. It may be objected, how could churches have been formed at all without stated preachers? I reply, by doing first as the apostles did, selecting some one, called of God, in every city and congregation as an evangelist (the designation given in Spain by tacit accord to lay preachers or assistants) or co-pastor, with a view to his becoming, if approved of God, the stated pastor of that town or congregation. This plan would have left the few experienced and gifted preachers free to go on disseminating the Word of Truth from one city and province to another, occasionally visiting the fields when the harvest was being gathered, to aid the younger and less experienced labourers with counsel, guidance, and supervision. Instead of this, they were all tied down to the congregations under their charge.

As an illustration of the great benefit that would have resulted in the propagation of the Gospel had some such plan been adopted, I may mention the instance of Linares. In February, 1870, I was privileged to preach twice on a Sabbath-day in that town. It was the first time the people heard the Gospel, and witnessed the simplicity of an Evangelical service. They most earnestly entreated for the stated preaching of the Word, but their desire remained unfulfilled till last year; and, singularly enough, my youngest brother is now the pastor of a church in that town, without having had anything whatever to do with the arrangements myself. Now, suppose one Sabbath's work had been devoted to other towns, as it was to Linares, is it not reasonable to suppose that equally happy fruits would have been gathered? I could name other towns

where the people desired to hear the message of salvation, but their desire remained unattended to, and the result is indifference, if not infidelity. Had they been visited by some one, were it even only for one day's preaching, the effect might have corresponded with Linares.

What may yet be done.-In stating what might, and should, have been done from the outset, I have clearly intimated what is to follow. It is never too late to mend, reform, or begin afresh on a better plan. The new revolution, the proclamation of the republican form of government in this land, is likely to revive the desire of the masses to emancipate themselves from the thraldom of Popery, idolatry, and superstition,—to hear, receive, and profess the Gospel. It would be difficult now to carry out the plan suggested to the fullest extent. It may not be an easy matter to separate pastors, either permanently or for any length of time, from the churches under their charge; but most of them have, and all could have, assistant evangelists. Consequently, the plan proposed and recommended might be adopted with modifications. A certain radius from the present principal centres of mission work might be assigned to each for general cultivation. Such men as Senors Cabrera, Carrasco, Ruet, and others ought not, in the present stato of the work in this land, to be nailed down to the duties of the pastorate. They should belong to Spain, and not to any one congregation in particular. This necessitates concert, not only among the labourers, but principally among their supporters. Why might not the different Churches and Societies having missions in Spain agree among themselves to parcel out the land by provinces or districts, each promising, in dependence upon God, to do the utmost and best for the evangelization of the part of country apportioned to it? Having done this, each Society or Church might set free

one or more of its most experienced and ablest labourers to sow broadcast the Word of Life in the district assigned to it, planting churches where practicable, and keeping frequently on the move between the organized churches and those in process of formation. As yet, there is great scarcity of competent and well-qualified workmen. By this plan, the few in the field would multiply themselves, and the Gospel would spread more rapidly than thus far.

Apart from the principal object of preaching the glad tidings to larger numbers, many important advantages would accrue from carrying out this plan.

1. The people might be more speedily taught the duty of supporting God's ordinances, when the truth had laid hold of their hearts and minds; and if, in place of an occasional sermon, a stated preacher were desired, they might be required to provide themselves with a place of worship, as well as to contribute, wholly or in part, to the support of their chosen pastor or evangelist.

2. Until, by a combination among the Churches and Societies taking an active interest in the extension of the Gospel in Spain, a college or seminary is opened for the training of labourers, this plan would afford the most efficacious mode of raising a supply, and improving the quality of the young and new workmen. It would serve the purpose of a kind of practical apprenticeship.

The Edinburgh Spanish Evangelization Society, with praiseworthy zeal and foresight, opened a training institution at Seville, but soon discovered, from its expensiveness, that it could not be long sustained by it alone. There was talk of a college at Madrid, but nothing has come out of it. No one Church or Society could, or should, provide the required supply. It must be the work of all; and it were far better to open it abroad, in Scotland

or Switzerland, so that the students may have the benefit of Christian example, society, and influence, of a higher quality than could be found in their native land. At present, excepting a few students under training at Lausanne, there are no effectual means of training evangelists and pastors.

3. The proposed system of itinerancy would discover with greater certainty where the Gospel would be most welcome, and productive of the richest harvest. Thus far the larger cities have been selected as centres of work, but there is good reason for believing that there are small towns where the whole, or greater part, of the inhabitants would receive the Gospel readily and with joy. From a political point of view, it is as well that Protestantism has taken a firm hold in the principal centres of population; but the fact of an entire town or even village adhering to the Gospel would not be less influential. The plan I recommend offers opportunity to realize all that is desirable, from every point of view; and as I do not intend these lines to be exhaustive, but rather suggestive, I leave it to maturer judgments and abler pens o give a definite shape and form to the scheme suggested.....

There is much in the past four years to encourage the friends of Spain to perseverance and zeal. Difficulties there have been, and there may be still, but Evangelical Christianity has taken a firm hold on thousands; and I sincerely hope that the present state of the country may be taken advantage of for proceeding with greater strides.

MISSION-WORK IN EGYPT.-The American missionaries of the United Presbyterian Church, labouring in Egypt, occupy six stations there. One of these is at Sinovis, in a district called Faivom. This district is an

oasis, or cultivated region, surrounded by desert, but made fertile by the