of which you speak is too good. I must know more about it, and besides there is a young woman in the next house, in great trouble of mind, and needs to be comforted: come with me, and we will finish the talk there." So she led the way to a small room, occupied by a young widow with her two children, one a little girl of two years, and the other an infant. She told me that her husband died very suddenly four months ago, so suddenly that there was no time for confession and the last unction, according to the rites of the Church, therefore she feared he was not saved. She had given all she had for his burial, and had sold many things from her family to pay the priest to say prayers for his soul; but it was too little, and every body had forsaken her, and her husband was lost, and she feared a curse rested upon her family. I said what I could to comfort her, telling her that the salvation of her husband's soul did not depend upon any thing that man could do for him, but that if he believed in Christ and trusted in Him, he would not be cast off. I repeated to her many passages of Scripture, shewing the willingness of God to pardon and receive the penitent. She had never heard such things, and wished to know where I had learned them. When I told her that Jesus Christ himself had given us these promises, and that he invites all to come unto Him and receive the gift of eternal life through faith in His merits, without money and without price, she was filled with consolation and wonder at the great love of God to sinful man, and begged me to come and instruct her still more. I then left her, and the old woman who conducted me there accompanied me as far as she could into the city, talking rapidly and asking questions with great eagerness, as though she did not wish to lose a moment of time. Then leaning on her crutches, and holding both my hands in hers, with the tears streaming down her cheeks, she said, “I am old and infirm, and cannot understand much; but I wish to learn all I can about this Gospel, for I am sure it is just what I need."

Germany.

(From our own Correspondent.)

A GOOD deal of attention is being devoted now to the question what shall be done in an ecclesiastical point of view by Prussia, with the recently annexed provinces? The question is encompassed with not a few difficulties, and I will just refer to one or two of the solutions proposed. These

countries are Hanover, in which about five-sixths of the population are Lutheran, and one-tenth or twelfth Reformed; Hesse-Cassel, also partly Reformed and partly Lutheran; Nassau, mainly Unionistic; Frankfort, mixed; and SchleswigHolstein, chiefly Lutheran. The Lutherans in Hanover and Hesse Cassel are hot, those in Schleswig-Holstein are of themselves mild, but are being stirred up by their more zealous brethren. Now in Prussia, as you know, the Lutheran and Reformed Churches have been formally united since 1830, and the type of life and doctrine is marked neither by the exclusiveness of Lutheranism, nor by the latitudinarian coldness of the Reformed Church; in other words, it is Unionistic-it is Evangelical. The strict Lutherans in Prussia, who form a small but compact party, and remind one of the Irish Brigade or Brass Band in the English Parliament, have long been groaning under the bondage of the union, as they term it, and wish to have a peculiar "garden walled around" to themselves; and they are trying to make capital out of the difficulties occasioned by the annexed territories. The strict Lutherans in Hanover and Cassel, for various reasons, are also raising a hullabaloo against being subordinated to the "Upper Evangelical Church Council" in Berlin. The Nassauers are afraid of the life and activity which will be imported into their midst, if they are united, as is proposed, with the Rhenish Church; especially the so-called liberals of Schenkel's school. The Frankforters say little, but feel all the more: and the Schleswig Lutherans are also beginning to write letters against being ecclesiastically merged in Prussia. What now are the propositions made by the various parties? First comes Hengstenberg, the leader of the High Church, strict Lutheran, antiunionistic party in the State Church, in other words, of the Confessionalistic party. He wishes the Union to be dissolved-or something very like it; the Lutheran Churches in Old and New Prussia to be constituted into one walled garden;" the Reformed Churches to be united to each other as birds of like feather; and the Unionists to be left Unionists. This is in appearance a very innocent proposal; but its carrying out would have disastrous consequences, even if it were possible. It is easy enough to find clergy who would thus be segregable and congregable; but the vast majority of the Churches or parishes are far from sharing the narrowness of the exclusive. Where they seem to do so, it is the result of artificial excitement.

The Unionists wish the new lands to be incorporated; to be allowed to have their representatives in the Upper Council; without, however, interfering arbitrarily in their internal arrangements and development.

Bismarck's idea is said to be to leave each Church independent, and united solely under the king. This would be a kind of personal union, and certainly not desirable.

A writer, whose work is noticed at length, in which I would here again most warmly recommend to the attention of all who wish to know what the Church is about in Germany. Professor Messner's "Neue Evangelische Kirchenzeitung," (which I would here again most warmly recommend to the attention of all who wish to know what the Church is about in Germany,) proposes that the several churches be disintegrated into smaller provincial churches, with bishops at their head, and united only by a certain subordination to a Higher Court of Appeal, something like Convocation. The main reason urged for this proposal, is that small churches are more manageable, more easily kept alive, and so forth. I think, however, it would be rather a dangerous experiment. I should personally vote either for the union of all under the Upper Council, giving this same Council, and with it the entire Corporation, more independence, more authority, more members, and a greater command of means; or for carrying out to the full the great idea of the late king-to give the Church full independence of the State power, and leave it to manage its own affairs. To this it must come also in the end. But he who lives will see. So are matters situated at present.

The following notice of the numbers of the Roman Catholic clergy of all classes in Austria will be of interest to you. In all there are 55,370. There is 1 patriarch; there are 4 primates; 11 archbishops; 58 bishops; 24 assistant bishops; 12,863 parish priests; 539 ordained professors. There are 720 monasteries, with 59 abbots; 45 provincials; 6,754 priests; 645 clerics; 240 candidates; 1,917 lay brethren. The monasteries are divided among the following orders :-The Piarists have 60; the Reformed Franciscans, 165; the Observant Franciscans, 72; the Conventual Franciscans, 45; the Dominicans, 41; the Cistercians, 48; the Benedictines, 37; the Brothers of Mercy, 31; the Jesuits, 17; the Praemonstratensians, 15; the Basilians (Greek), 26. There are 298 nunneries, with 5,198 nuns. The most numerous are the Sisters of Mercy of

St. Vincent, with 85, and the Ursulines, with 25 nunneries. The value of church property in Austria is 185,672,968 florins, or £18,567,296; the income 19,639,713 florins, or £1,963,971. The archbishop of Olmutz has 300,800 florins; of Prague, 71,680 (florin reckoned at two shillings); the Bishop of Linz, 51,250; the Chapter of Prague, 80,000; the canons of the monastery of Neuburg, 158,000; of Herzogenburg, 51,000; of St. Florian, 95,000; the Templars in Prague, 54,000; the Praemonstratensians in Schlögel, 53,150; in Töglt, 233,000; the Barnabites in Vienna, 54,450; the Benedictines in Mölk, 190,000; the Scots in Vienna, 197,000; in Seitenstatten, 92,600; in Göttwlih, 71,600; of St. Peter, Salzburg, 87,500; of Kremsmünster, 191,700; in Admont, 52,760; in St. Lambrecht, 50,200; the Cistercians in Heiligen Kreuz, 93,900; in Zwettl, 50,000; in Hohenfurth, 51,000; in Offell, 87,900. The Jesuits number 7,529. A tremendous power and influence must all these wield.

The Central Committee for Home Missions in Germany is getting up petitions to the North German Parliament for the total abolition of gaming houses within the territory of the New Confederation. There is still a considerable number of such places in the North of Germany -for example, there are either one or two in Mecklenburgh, which are a terrible curse. Indeed gaming is said to prevail altogether to a frightful extent in that Grand Duchy, notwithstanding its strict Lutheranism.

I was told, however, the other day that there is a regularly organized and licensed gambling saloon at Heligoland. If this be the case we have no right to throw stones as we do. Perhaps some of your readers may be able to give certain information on the point, and, in case it be so, bring the matter before the notice of Parliament.

Turkey.

MOVEMENTS IN THE ARMENIAN CHURCH.

THE correspondent, at Constantinople, of the New York Tribune, writes as follows::

"For some time past a party in the Armenian Church has been labouring quietly for a thorough reform. The American missionaries in Turkey have laboured among these people for thirty years, and they have succeeded in carrying the Bible into every village. It has been read, and conviction has come upon the Armenians, as a church, that many of their rites and practices

are contrary to the plain teaching of the Scriptures. But church and nation are so confounded in Turkey that thousands have hesitated to leave their church, although they were convinced of its errors.

"Now these thousands are combining to compel the church to renounce these errors and go back to the simple teachings of the Bible. They propose to retain the Episcopal form of church government as better adapted to Turkey than any other. Their Central Committee is in constant communication with Protestant pastors and missionaries, and is drawing up a creed as a basis for their party to act upon. An Armenian paper this week declares that all the young men among them are joining this new movement, and prophesies that it will succeed. I am not quite so sure about immediate success, for the corrupt ecclesiastical hierarchy has unlimited power for evil; but the movement is a striking evidence of the success of the American missionaries in bringing this people back to the Bible as their only sure guide."

SYRIA.

MR. JESSUP, American missionary, gives the following account of a religious awakening at Beirut:

In the evening, though tired and almost exhausted with having attended five services during the day, I could not refrain from going into the girls' school, which adjoins my house, and from which I could hear the people singing, "Come to Jesus just now," "Just as I am," "In the Christian's home in glory," "Jesus paid it all," and other hymns. I saw that some appeared unusually thoughtful, and told them that if any would like to meet me for special prayer and conversation about their souls, I would come at any time with great cheerfulness.

The next day at noon, Rufka, the teacher, sent me word that some of the girls wished to see me. In the afternoon I went to one of the upper rooms in the new edifice, and three of the older girls came in, their eyes red and swollen with weeping. They said they wished to delay no longer, but begin at once to follow Jesus. I tried to direct them to the Saviour, and we spent a season in prayer. After they had retired, NINE others came in, and all seemed to be earnestly seeking the salvation of their souls. I was so affected that I could hardly control myself. We prayed together, and called upon the gracious Saviour to receive these beloved children as lambs into his own fold.

They promised that night to begin to serve Him, and some of them asked for a room where they might retire and pray alone. My heart was thrilled with joy and gratitude, and yet with trembling, lest these serious impressions should fade away. Yet I believe it is the Lord's work.

UNITED

India.

PRESBYTERIAN MISSION IN
RAJPOOTANA.*

THE convenient designation of Rajpootana is given to a vast tract of country of which most people know little, although the name is familiar through the prominent place it occupies on the map. Extending from Agra to Sindh and from the Bombay presidency to the Punjab, it is almost as large as the whole of the British Isles and fivesixths the size of the Madras presidency. Its position, however, amongst the provinces of India is as low as its territory is extensive. In every respect it is in a most backward state. This is due in part to the nature of the country, and partly to the inefficient character of the government. Immense regions especially in the west are entirely desert. For a hundred miles, we are told, the traveller passes over hills and valleys of coarse sand. These sand hills are from 20 to 100 feet in height, and in summer the passage is rendered dangerous by the prevalence of sand storms. Now and then a miserable village is met with surrounded by a few corn fields which depend for moisture upon dew and the periodical rains. Brackish and unwholesome water is obtained with difficulty from wells 300 feet deep. In these desolate regions the mirage often excites vain hopes in the mind of the thirsty traveller. Except in the south there is not a river of any size.

The principal inhabitants of the country are Rajpoots, who claim to be descended from the Kshatriyas, the second of the four Hindu castes. They are a brave and handsome people with Jewish features, are haughty and indolent and fearfully addicted to the use of opium. The other races are much lower in the scale. The government of the country is a kind of feudalism. There are no less than eighteen independent states, fifteen of which are governed by Rajpoot princes. Each district and town in these states is under a chief who frequently only yields a By the Rev. J. Hudson, from the Harvest Field, published in India.

nominal subjection to the rajah. These chiefs, as in ancient feudal times, have more influence over their own people than the king. The lands are held on the tenure of military service in addition to a small rent, each chief being obliged to furnish a certain number of horsemen on the shortest notice. All these states are under the political superintendence of the Governor-General's agent, who resides at Aboo, and to whom each sends a vakeel.

With such an unfavourable climate and divided government there is no wonder that the country has not prospered. As yet there is neither canal, railway, nor telegraph, and good roads are few. The people are sunk in ignorance and superstition. Infanticide has prevailed to a terrible extent, and the country is full of the habitations of cruelty.

Fifty years ago the small territory of Ajmir, almost in the heart of Rajpootana, was taken by our government from Scindia, who had gained considerable hold of the country, and more recently the adjoining territory of Mairwarra has been conquered and annexed. Through British influence this part of the country has greatly improved, and some of the neighbouring rajahs have profited by the example.

Ajmir and Mairwarra have been lately taken up as a mission field by the United Presbyterians, the latest of the British churches that have entered India. Adopting the wise and catholic plan which has been followed during the last few years, they selected an entirely new sphere of labour. As the mission was only begun in 1860, it is as yet the day of small things; a good commencement has however been made. Four stations have been occupied, viz., Beawr and Nya Nuggur, Nasirabad, Ajmir, and Todgarh. At each of these there are two European missionaries and a native catechist, and at two of them a European catechist in addition. The native church consists of 54 members, of whom 20 are communicants, and already 40 schools have been established, with 1,500 scholars. Those who know anything of the slow progress of missions in new and untried countries will not despise statistics like these.

The fourth report which has lately appeared contains much that is cheering, and records the work of intelligent and earnest men. Its most pleasing feature is its unassuming modesty. There is no sign of the least attempt to make the work look as well as possible. The cases of backsliding are circumstantially narrated. Nothing is more disheartening than the falling

away of those of whose conversion confident hope has been formerly indulged and expressed, and there is a natural unwillingness to make more than a bare reference to such cases in reports; yet it is well that nothing should be held back and that those who have fallen should be thrown on the sympathy and prayers of God's people. We want the church to feel deeper interest in our work than is likely to be enlisted by a bare and general summary.

We seldom open a report of Indian missions but the eye falls first on some notice of affliction and death. The Ajmir mission has had its share. Half of the small number of labourers have been afflicted. The wife of one was removed by death before she had been two years in the country, and as she was just entering on a career of much usefulness. One missionary had been obliged to return home, two to recruit at the sanitorium on mount Aboo, and another had been laid aside for several months. A young mission is put to a severe proof by such trials as these.

Some of the cases of conversion recorded are very cheering. No one seems to be admitted into church membership without satisfactory evidence of a change of heart. The accounts are given at length, and the reader is thus able in some degree to judge for himself,—a much more satisfactory plan than to give merely the numbers, at best a very indifferent test of progress.

The work of evangelization appears to be carried on with energy. The evening is the time set apart for bazaar preaching, while the morning is left free for schools and other engagements. At Beawr, after novelty has passed away, the audience continues as numerous and more attentive. Brahmans and Jane Banias alone stand aloof. Merchants from Meywar and Marwar, who have come to the city for the purpose of commerce, listen with interest and carry back the gospel message to their homes. At Nasirabad the despised chamar caste are the most accessible. At Ajmir, in those parts of the city where the word has been most favourably received, attempts have been made to make an advance upon bazaar preaching by transferring the meetings to schoolhouses, thus ensuring a more quiet and regular congregation. Experience seems to prove that in large towns this course will have to be generally adopted. The morning bazaar is too noisy, and the people we want the most are too busy; so that the congregation is chiefly made up of loiterers. Evening meetings, when conducted with spirit, generally prove attractive.