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much worth: but, certainly, our poor friend has recovered his pack of cloth, and the adversaries have in some measure lost their prestige.

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to us, not only in showing us all man- the case so far as it has gone, and ner of hospitality in their own homes, promise to restrain their inferiors in but in bringing us in contact with future. Chinese promises are not very many of the missionaries here; we were, I trust, mutually refreshed by meeting with each other. Mr. and Mrs. Swanson, and Mr. Grant, are living at Mr. Edkins's, and I at Mr. Cowie's; the latter is one of my old school and college friends and townsmen; so you may suppose it was a very pleasant thing for me to meet with him and enjoy his society on my first arrival in this strange land. We expect to leave for Amoy to-day or tomorrow, in the Peterborough, Captain Orchard. She is a fine new ship, and has excellent accommodation, and her captain we like much, so far as we have seen him. She is chartered by Chinamen, and there are about 150 of them on board. This does not add, I suppose, to our comfort, but we shall have some opportunity of studying Chinese character and language.

I remain, my dear Mr. Matheson,
Yours, very sincerely,

H. L. MACKENZIE.

From the following extract of a letter from Mr. Douglas-dated Amoy, 1st of June-it appears that the faith of the Christians at Anhai is being tried as with fire. May it be found to the praise of the Lord Jesus.

The little church at Pechuia is now enjoying a little quiet, in answer to many prayers.

The cloth-pedlar who was robbed had made a complaint to the Haiteng mandarin, who had shown a disposition to examine into the matter and to do some justice. The head men of the village became alarmed, and made a compromise; they pay the expenses of

But at Anhai no redress has been obtained on the contrary the wor shippers of God are sorely pressed. Several who seemed hopeful now hold back. They can no longer meet in Alat's house: it is close to a very large ancestral hall, the good luck of which would have been endangered, as the neighbours thought. Our friends have thus been compelled to meet in the house of one of their number in that part of the town where the opposition is strongest. On weekdays but few meet together. On the last two Sabbaths, eleven or twelve assembled. When they attempt to sing, stones are thrown at the house. One of the assistants has been to visit Anhai; he stayed only two days, as his presence there much increased the opposition. The mandarins seem not inclined to do anything towards restraining the people; and there are rumours that they even intend to arrest the Godworshippers, and to complain of my visiting the place. In the latter case there is considerable danger that the consul may not permit me to visit it. I believe that, at all events, he will not give me any further assistance till he receives instructions on the subject from the ambassador. We are thus all the more thrown on the promises of the word and the strength of the Lord. And we are encouraged by the help we have had from above in other places, to hope that here also, through the effectual fervent prayers of God's people, his strength shall be made perfect in our weakness.

Correspondence.

THE VAUDOIS CHURCH.'
To the Editor of the Presbyterian Messenger.

Blackheath, 19th Aug., 1860. DEAR SIR, It was my lot, along with our esteemed elder, Mr. Matheson, to

CARSTAIRS DOUGLAS.

carry the greetings of our Synod to that of the Vaudois Church, which met last May in the valleys of Piedmont. Already your readers have been favoured with a very interesting and correct vidimus of the business transacted by that Alpine

assembly, in a letter written immediately he felt constrained by conscience to after its close by Mr. Matheson. It may make, though he had little hope that it not be superfluous, however, in me to would be seconded, and fully expected it give a short statement of the impressions to be met by a smile. He thought that made upon my own mind by the pro- the time had already arrived when the ceedings, especially as I feel that there college should be removed from La Tour was on the occasion every token that to Florence; he supported this view by could be desired by a faithful Church, of several strong arguments, and sat down the presence and blessing of her King again, apologising for his boldness in and Head. I was late in reaching the stating these views, and expressing his valleys, and already the deputations had belief that they would be coldly received. been heard, and some of the foreign visi- Mr. Meille, Italian minister at Turin, foltors, among others my excellent colleague, lowed, reminding the court that last year had taken their departure. But I was he had proposed the removal to Turin, allowed to appear on a future occasion. and that his motion fell unseconded to I was peculiarly privileged in being pre- the ground, He was happy to find that sent at an animated debate on the Con- he had now one brother to sustain his stitution of their Missionary Board or general principle, and that he was now Commission, and next day at the dis- ready to second the removal to Florence. cussion and decision of the question as Mr. Pilatte then rose and vehemently to the removal of the college from La supported the same idea, concluding by Tour to Florence. The former subject an appeal to Mr. Revel, who has long had been one of much solicitude, and it been the Nestor of the Synod, and who, was considered by some of the most ex- as a professor, had a personal interest in perienced of the members a rather un- the question. Mr. Revel, with a sagafortunate resolution which the Synod cious smile, professed his readiness to go adopted. But on the rising of the Synod wherever the Synod ordered him, though all parties were more than reconciled to it were to Rome itself, and approved of the decision; this arose from the vote the idea that Florence was peculiarly which was afterwards taken on the se- suitable as a locality for their institute. cond of these questions. From the But he saw a formidable difficulty in the earliest times a theological seminary has financial poverty of the valleys, which existed in the valleys, though its precise could not support the great additional locality has often been disputed. For expenditure involved in the undertaking many past years, however, La Tour has proposed; here was his great and at been the spot dedicated to academic pur- present insuperable objection. Mr. Appia, suits, and here there are at present three Mr. Meille, and Mr. Pilatte, rose again theological professors, besides teachers successively, and declared their convicof various branches of secular learning. tion that a removal to Florence would With the advent of religious liberty and be so popular in England and other the power of preaching in Italy, God has Protestant countries, that any sum of awakened a missionary spirit which has money necessary to carry it out would been duly fostered by the yearly deputa- be liberally poured into their treasury; tions from other churches, and especially while the last of their brethren offered by those from the Free Church of Scot-personally to guarantee all that was land. The removal of the college is part likely to be needed for the enterprise, of the missionary movement, and the circumstances under which the resolution was taken deserve to be recorded as seeming to indicate that God was specially directing and guiding this ancient Christian Church in her counsels, and making her understand her duty, and enter on her work in a way for which she had been but imperfectly prepared.

Till the Synod met on the morning of the last day of its sittings, it never occurred to any member that this great change was to be thought of. Mr. Appia, a faithful minister, rose with diffidence, and apologised for a suggestion which

Then speaker followed speaker, till, the conversation being exhausted, a vote was called for, when, in answer to the chairman's summons, the whole Synod rose to their feet, in token of a unanimous resolution that the removal should take place. The members for a moment looked at one another as if doubting the evidence of their senses. That morning there had been but one man bold enough to moot the question. Was it possible that already the whole Synod were as one in affirming it? No sooner did the truth of the case appear indisputable, than with one consent a murmur of

satisfaction, culminating in a hearty sniff, and something not unlike a cheer, rose from the whole assembly, while one of the Scottish deputation gave vent to his satisfaction by tossing his hat to the ceiling of the church!

may avail themselves;-and 4thly. The position of this seminary, if it be well maintained, is likely to attract the favour. able notice of the Italian community, and so give a character and importance to the Church to which otherwise it might not attain.

Let us hail this step with our hearty sympathy, and let us join our brethren in various parts of England in aiding it by our liberal contributions. Yours faithfully,

GEO. J. C. DUNCAN,

If there was anything approaching to the indecorous in such demonstrations, it may be taken as a proof of the unexpected nature of the result. The Synod had done what no member of it had previously contemplated, and the universal feeling afterwards expressed was, that God had led them to a decision from which they had been ready to shrink as too boid, but which their faith ought to have prepared them to take. I have SABBATH SCHOOL STATISTICS. been a member of very many Church To the Editor of the Presbyterian Messenger. courts, and have frequently seen the DEAR SIR,-In your notice in this month's wondrous loving-kindness of God in ob- "Messenger," of a conference of ministers, viating threatened evils, and guiding his elders, and teachers, held in London on the servants through perplexities. But never 12th June last on Sabbath-schools, you did I witness a result like this, so un-have pilloried the St. Andrew's, Manchester, premeditated, so unexpected, and attained with such perfect unanimity. I had breakfasted the same morning in company with ten or twelve of the chief speakers in the Synod, and though the conversation had embraced almost every topic of immediate interest, I had noticed that this one was not even mooted. Yet here, as if by some overruling but invisible influence, all these brethren had enthusiastically voted for a measure involving the most extensive and important

results. I confess I was afraid that re-
flection might lead to grave doubts of
the wisdom of the measure. But it was
not so.
Residing in the valleys for
about a week after the rising of the
Synod, and holding friendly intercourse
with many of the pastors, there seemed
to be no misgiving on the subject. The
case was one in which the application of
our barrier act might have been very
properly employed, but in the absence
of any such safeguard against rash legis-
lation, all seemed satisfied that the deci-
sion to which they had come was right,
safe, and faithful, as well as pregnant
with the best results.

and Etal congregations for refusing to sup-
ply information. Would it not have been
more courteous to have followed the exam-
ple of the secretary of the Conference in his
Report, and appended the reasons given for
If you think so, please mend the matter by
not filling up the schedules of queries sent ?
publishing these reasons in your next issue,
and oblige
Yours faithfully,

THE SESSION CLERK OF ST. ANDREW'S.

Manchester, 24th July, 1860.

The reasons given by our Session were, that they "having already answered questions of a similar kind issued by the committee appointed by the Synod, deem it inexpedient to answer any queries put by irresponsible parties."

tion in the August number. We are not [This letter reached us too late for inseraware that any committee has of late years been appointed by the Synod to obtain statistics of our Sabbath-schools. Why is it that almost all other Presbyterian Churches, both on this and on the other side of the Atlantic, can obtain statistics of their congregations and Sabbath-schools, and we cannot? Even the Synod has tried and failed. ―ED.]

To the Editor of the Presbyterian Messenger.

Some of them are obvious:—1st. The students of the valleys transported to Florence will learn a pure Italian, the want of which has been a bar to their usefulness. 2ndly. Other students will be much more readily gathered at Florence DEAR SIR,-In my report on our Sabthan at La Tour. 3rdly. There will be bath-schools I omitted any return from a field in Florence and the neighbouring Smethwick, near Birmingham, because towns and villages for missionary labours, the schedule was returned to me through of which both professors and students the post-office unfilled up, from which

I concluded that the school was discontinued. It now seems this was a mistake, as it is still in operation.

I had no return from Ramsbottom, and estimated it below its actual condition. The publication of the Report has produced returns from both of these places, which I have great pleasure in now making public through your pages.

Missionaries, and about 10 as teachers of Week-day-schools.

Amended by these returns, our total figures show 1,487 teachers and 14,597 scholars in our Sabbath-schools.

It is with great pleasure I publish these additions, and I have only further to express regret that all our Sabbathschools did not see their way to give us correct returns of their numbers, as it is evident that the Church has never yet, even through its school committee (which, by the way, deals formally only with the

Smethwick has 90 scholars and 15 teachers, 6 of whom were once scholars -one scholar has become a member of the Church. Its library contains 200 Week-day-schools, and takes account of volumes, and the scholars collected 18s. 6d. during last year towards the building of a new school.

Ramsbottom has 32 teachers and 425 scholars. It has sent out young men as ministers to the Church, 4 as City

the Sabbath-schools as a mere adjunct
to its proper functions), obtained correct
and complete statistics of the Sabbath-
schools within its bounds.
I remain, yours truly,

WM. FERGUSON.

Edition.

Notices of Books.

Second

Old Truths and Modern Speculations. By latter class of books belongs the one at the JAMES ROBERTSON, D.D. Edinburgh: head of this notice. The work is divided William Oliphant & Co. London: into three books. The first treats of God; Hamilton, Adams, & Co. the second of Sin and the Plan of Salvation; and the third of the Church. These books are again subdivided, and the subjects treated under their natural heads. The first book, for instance, treats of Atheism, Pantheism, the True God, and Unbelief. The others are similarly treated. The style is clear, and the arguments are lucidly given.

Blind Bartimeus and his Great Physician. By PROFESSOR W. J. HODGE. Edinburgh: Strachan. London: Hamilton & Co.

THE present age has been remarkable for its speculations of all kinds. Atheists and Freethinkers have seized upon some shred of philosophy or pseudo-science, and have endeavoured, at one grand sweep, to prove the falsity of the Bible. Even Christians themselves have deemed it necessary, in many cases, to appeal to philosophy and reasoning, in order to explain some of the plain facts of the Bible which geology and other sciences have seemed to impugn. This is, in a great measure, attributable to the rapid strides that all the sciences have lat- A VERY valuable importation from America. terly made. New discoveries have come We have no hesitation in pronouncing it upon us often suddenly and unexpectedly, and have changed many of our preconceived notions; and as the teachers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries thought it necessary to warn their followers against the teachings of Copernicus and Galileo, so many wise men of our time have thought it necessary to "explain" some passages in the Bible which do not appear to coincide with the new discoveries in science. Others, on the contrary, have deemed it wiser and better to take their stand by the Bible in its original simplicity, and to confound sceptics by a simple appeal to its solid truths. To the

one of the most charming and useful little volumes we have read for many a day. Such faithful preaching as this must do good.

The man must have a dull head and a duller

heart who can read or hear such sermons
unmoved or unblest.

Secret Prayer. By the Rev. CHARLES
STANFORD. Jackson & Walford.
THIS beautiful little treatise is founded upon
the well-known text, "But thou when thou
prayest enter into thy closet," &c. Mr.
Stanford says, "The object of this appeal
is to summon attention to our Lord's law

respecting secret prayer. To feel his words in all their freshness and loving force you must feel that he is speaking now, and speaking, not to a congregation, but to you, his individual disciple. With glorious love, yet with startling directness, he looks you in the face, takes you by the hand, calls you by name, and leads you out,' that 'he, alone, may speak to you alone."""

Thus sweetly he discourses to us on this important theme, shutting the world out, and drawing us into the holy of holies.

The Eternal Purpose of God in Christ Jesus our Lord; being the Fourth Series of Lectures preached at the request of the Edinburgh Association for Promoting the Study of Prophecy. By the Rev. JAMES KELLY, M.A. Fourth Edition, revised and enlarged. James Nisbet & Co.

WE very cordially welcome this new edition of these able lectures, which indicates, we trust, a growing interest in the study of the great subjects of which they treat. Many will not agree with the author in some of the views advanced in his lectures, but many will concur in thinking that "the thoughts and ways of God need to be quietly pondered;" and that to the student of Prophecy Mr. Kelly has rendered important service by the publication of this volume.

Prophetical Landmarks; containing data for helping to determine the question of Christ's Pre-Millennial Advent. By HORATIUS BONAR, D.D. Third Edition. Nisbet & Co.

THIS work of Dr. Bonar's is so well and widely known that we deem it unnecessary to say more than simply announce the appearance of this new edition. In a brief preface the author says, that each year seems to add fresh confirmation to his views, and bring out more fully the deep Scriptural foundations on which they rest.

The Quarterly Journal of Prophecy.
XLVIII. James Nisbet & Co.

No.

We have a very high respect and affection for this journal, however widely we may differ from some of the views which it enforces. It cannot be read without instruction and profit. The number opens with an article or letter on "The New Heavens and Earth," which is followed by a second article, which every reader will welcome, called "Readings in First Chronicles." "The Kingdom of Christ, and Nature of the Age to C me," forms a third article on this subject, and, we think, occupies more space than it is justly entitled to. We have perused the number with very deep interest.

Lectures delivered before the Young Men's
Christian Association, in Exeter Hall,
from November, 1859, to February, 1860.
Nisbet & Co.

THIS forms the thirteenth volume of the
Young Men's Lectures, and it certainly
comes in no way behind its goodly prede-
cessors. No better book, the Bible ex-
cepted, could be put into the hands of a
and trials of life.
young man just entering upon the duties

The British and Foreign Evangelical
Review. No. XXXIII. Nisbet & Co.
THIS is an excellent number of the "British
and Foreign Evangelical." The first article,
on the" Book of Genesis," is full of sterling
thought; and if the reader finds it some-
what too heavy and too long, he will find
relief in the second article, taken from the
Southern Presbyterian Review, on "The
American Board and the Choctaw Mission."
In the writer of this article the (Christian)
slaveholders of the South have a bold and
shameless advocate. We are ashamed to
see a man, calling himself Presbyterian,
having the effrontery to lecture his brethren
on "The Christian Doctrines of Slavery;
namely, that slavery is government, and, as
such, is good, and is sanctioned of God!"
The third article, on "The First and Se-
cond Adam," from the Princeton Review,
is worthy of its parentage. The remaining
articles are," Edwards on the Atonement,
"Presbyterian Church Government," "The
Missionary Conference," and "John Cal-
vin."

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Abner the Leper. By Wм. ANDERSON.

Author of "Bethlehem and its Kings," &c. Partridge & Co., Paternoster Row. THIS little penny book is another effusion from the pen of our literary elder. It is a well-told story for children, conveying a vivid impression of the leprosy of the body and of the still deadlier leprosy of the soul. There are few men better qualified to minister to children than Mr. Anderson, tendents encouraging him in his efforts by and we would be glad to hear of superinpurchasing his little books for distribution in their schools.

The Year of Grace; a History of the

Ulster Revival of 1859. By the Rev. WILLIAM GIBSON, Professor of Ethics, and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Edinburgh: Elliott. London: Hamilton & Co.

THOSE to whom Professor Gibson is already known as an author will readily agree with us in thinking that it would be difficult to find one better qualified for writing a his tory of the Ulster Revival of 1859. A cool, clear head was needed to deal faithfully with

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