penalties from teaching any more; or by preventing pupils going into our schools, by inflicting fines or other penalties upon parents who would send their children to our schools;-all which is surely in contradiction of the guarantees for religious liberty given by the Turkish Government, as it is certainly a complete departure from the treatment and the liberty accorded to missionaries by the Turkish Government during the past forty years.

We trust and believe we shall have the support of the Evangelical Alliance, to whose aid in the past we owe so much, in claiming that our accustomed liberties be maintained in Turkey,-the liberty to practise our vocation (or profession) as missionaries, whether "ecclesiastics or others, in preaching and teaching as heretofore, and in protesting against any change or new departure in contradiction of, or inconsistent with, our accustomed usage and liberty which we have so long enjoyed, and which has been recognised as our right, and as secured by the treaties and other guarantees of religious liberty given and repeated by the Turkish Government to the other contracting Powers.

A word here respecting the position of the American missionaries. As, from common interest, the defence of their work is of equal importance to us with that of our own, and also because if their work falls ours cannot stand. I would hope that an arrangement may be devised by which in any such troubles of the American missionaries, their case may-through or with the consent of the American Ambassador -be always brought without delay to the notice of the British Government or its Ambassador; our Government being in a more favourable position or relation for urging the maintenance of religious liberty in Turkey.

RELIGIOUS Liberty is a principle long since understood and acted upon in England. Civil Liberty by its side has emphasised the continuous progress of our National prosperity. The Reformation and the Restoration together sounded the doom of persecution and intolerance in this country.

More or less elsewhere the Powers of Europe have partaken in the forward movement. The most notable exception is Russia. There it is thought no crime, but on the contrary high policy and wisdom, to hale men and women for religion's sake, and send them off in shoals and by hundreds to Siberia. For no other offence than for daring to meet and worship in their own way, they are sent for long terms of penal servitude to the mines hundreds of miles away, and their homes are broken up ruthlessly. All, forsooth, because they have the audacity not to conform to the orthodox Greek Church of Russia. It seems hardly creditable; but alas! it is so, that for nothing worse than this, untold numbers of Christian men and women have for some years past been the object of a fierce and relentless persecution. Only imagine our own Dissenters and Nonconformists sent to Dartmoor and Portland for such a reason, and we may have some idea of what is taking place in Russia.

Some few years ago, an attempt was made by the Evangelical Alliance to reach the ear of the Powers that be in Russia on behalf of oppressed and persecuted Christians. The Swiss branch of the Alliance was deputed for this purpose and presented a Memorial ably and eloquently setting forth the nature of the case. Unfortunately, however, the supreme control of the religious government of Russia was, and still is, in the hands of one of those men who unite with an intense bigotry the veritable conviction that they are doing God service by their restraining action. Like Saul of Tarsus or Jehu, their zeal is of a furious description. Such a man is at the helm of affairs, and, from former personal associations, he has an immense influence over the Czar. In his reply to the Swiss Memorial, this Minister did not hesitate roundly to laugh down our own Western ideas of religious liberty, and to maintain on the contrary that the world at large would be all the better in that respect, if the strong-handed methods of the East should prevail everywhere.

It was vain to argue with such a man, and since that period the persecution has

continued, not only unmitigated, but intensified. It is unnecessary here to dwell upon the cruel treatment of the Russian Jews, for it is notorious; and we confine ourselves to the Stundists and other Christians. Not only the spiritual but the physical condition of our brethren in Christ is horrible, and they are subject to police visits by night and by day, and to be arrested at any hour; to be dragged off from their homes in irons or fetters; to be chained together for long weary marches to Siberia; to be organised in processions of victims who drag their weary way along over arid steppes or amid icy snows, to eke out their existence, when at last at their journey's end, as may please the task-masters, according to the individual temperament of the latter, who, it must be gratefully acknowledged, are not in all cases as inhumane or intolerant as their superiors at the seat of Empire.

Now the number of the oppressed for righteousness sake is so great, the persecutions themselves have lasted so long, the attempts to bring to bear influence both publicly and privately have hitherto been so ineffectual, that it would seem the time is now fully come for some united protest of all those who in every nation value the principles of religious liberty. Such a state of things as may be seen any day in Russia is simply scandalous to the community of civilised nations; and shall not the moral patience and international opinion of Europe and of America make itself heard?

Some twenty years ago there was a distinct movement in the Hierarchy of the Church of England towards Inter-Communion with the Greek Church. Many certainly were far from approving such a policy; but some moral influence might now perhaps be used by those of our Archbishops and Bishops who have sympathies in that direction; and there must be some Bishops even in the Greek Church who hate and abhor the methods of the Czar's Minister, and who do not require to be told that his inhuman persecutions are a disgrace to Russia. There would be no harm in such sort of Inter-Communion on the part of our Anglican High Churchmen. Then upon the other side of the religious circle, there stands ever ready, whether on behalf of Spaniards or Swedes, of Turks or of Armenians, of Protestants or of Catholics, of men of whatsoever faith or nation, the great Evangelical Alliance of various countries ready to approach the thrones of Kings or Emperors, and to bring any wellascertained system of intolerance to the bar of Christian feeling. Sustained by the prayers of innumerable believers, it has done good service in the past, and why should we doubt for the future? There is, moreover, the more ticklish region of diplomacy in which something may perhaps be done, from time to time, to alleviate the sufferings of so large a body of our fellow-men. The doctrine of non-intervention itself is not a rule without exception; and words spoken well and wisely may often be recognised as truly friendly, when passing between Foreign Secretaries and Ambassadors in the interchange of current politics and questions. There is such a thing as public conscience, and even the greatest of Statesmen cannot afford to be altogether deaf to its admonitions.

The only obstacle to some vigorous action on behalf of our oppressed fellowreligionists hitherto has been the fear lest their state might be thereby made worse instead of better. It was well perhaps to forego an appeal to public opinion, while any lingering hope remained, that the condition of the suffering Stundists and others would be alleviated by a policy of silence: indeed, many of the persecuted Russians were themselves of this opinion; but a contrary result is unfortunately before us, and even at the risk of some local aggravation here and there, no great harm need now be apprehended from speaking out more boldly. In America the feeling is strong in this direction, and the influence of a decided expression of opinion in that country would make itself felt in Russia. It is not for Britain to hold back at such a moment, but to take her place as usual in the van of any international endeavour to vindicate the great principles of religious liberty. The Evangelical Alliance now seems called upon, at as early a date as possible, to take such action as shall faithfully represent the moral opinion of all its American and European Branches.

RUSSIAN PRISONS.

DR. BAEDEKER, during a few days' stay in Shanghai, delivered by request a lecture in Union Church on the Prisons of Russia and the condition of the Stundists in that country at the present time.

Russia, he said, has a hundred and twenty million inhabitants-including Esthonians, Letts, Germans, Russians, Swedes, Finns, Tartars, Armenians, Buriats. In the East the Finnish race stretch far into Asia. Then they become heathen. They practise fishing along the shores of rivers and keep reindeer. They bear the names of Ostiaks, Gilyaks, Tunguses and some others. Thus there are in all about thirty nationalities speaking as many languages. For mission work there is a wide field open in this great empire. I have visited Russia every year for many years past. All the prison doors have been open to me. It was through a young lady that this particular work attracted me. I was in Finland and was able to hold religious meetings. The professors invited me to preach in the university hall, which I did.

A young lady of noble family said to me, "You must not go away from Finland yet." Why?" asked I. "Because I wish you to visit my prisoners." She has a wonderful influence over them, which she maintains simply by the teaching of the love of Christ. On account of her influence over prisoners she is applied to by the authorities when in difficulties to aid them. They had got some dynamite, with which they were intending to blow up the prison. The prison authorities asked the baroness to help them. She said, "Leave me alone in the prison." She talked to the prisoners in a tender, loving way. They brought one piece after another till all the dynamite was brought, and the danger was at an end. Her power over criminals is not that of personal beauty or rank but only the teaching of the Gospel of Christ. If peoples' minds are in commotion and there are plans for commencing a revolution she appears, and by her words, founded on the Gospel, pours oil on the troubled waters. This young lady was the first to show me the need of a visitation of the prisons with the Gospel of salvation.

The next step I took was at Riga. When going among the workmen to distribute books a policeman seized me, and regarding me as a law-breaker took me to his superior. He again sent me to the governor. While waiting for admission I sent in my card. On seeing the governor he asked me what I had done. I told him I had given away a New Testament. "A very good thing," he remarked. I added that I wished to go to the prisoners to speak to them and give them books. 66 "That you can do," he said. He gave me the necessary order. It was a great joy to me to visit the prisons in Riga as I did, and tell them of the Gospel of Christ which alone can save.

In St. Petersburg I said to a lady "I wish to obtain leave to visit all prisons in Russia." "You will not get it," said she. I went back to England to my home. After a time a letter came with a large seal. A very large letter it was. It gave me permission to travel in Russia, take the Word of God into prisons and give it to prisoners. I have gone to Russia once a year for several years doing this, and I hope to go again, for there is nothing but the Gospel that can save poor sinners.

When I was in Edinburgh and Glasgow and visited the prisons I saw that they were taking them down and asked why. They told me criminals were fewer than formerly. Large prisons are not now needed, and we are reducing them in size. The free preaching of the Gospel in Scotland will not allow men to be criminals as they once were. The same Gospel is needed in Russia. Without the Gospel men sink in the mire of their own sins and never improve.-Shanghai Messenger.

THE NORTH AFRICAN MISSION began its work in Algiers in 1881. It now employs more than seventy missionaries, and has translated parts of the New Testament into Kabyle and Riffian. It has met with many difficulties, but also with much success.

A CHRISTIAN'S COMMENTARY ON THE PARLIAMENT

OF

SPIRIT Most Holy, Thou,
Sole Fount of truth and bliss,
Without Whom nothing strong
And nothing Holy is;
As in the morning of its birth
Visit and bless the labouring earth.

Brood Holy Dove Divine
On this chaotic night;
The formless void inspire
With order, love, and light.

RELIGIONS.

Breathe a great calm; and at Thy sway
Let rude anarchic wills obey.

Shake the dry bones that lie
In Death's sepulchral reign;
Come wind of God and blow,
Blow on the myriads slain.
Let quickening nations feel the breath
That dissipates the power of death.

Icomb Rectory, Stow-on-the-Wold, Epiphany 1894.

Rush suddenly from Heaven
In second Pentecost

Of sound and fire, to stir

Thy Church, O Holy Ghost;
Faith, fervour, unction, utterance give,
And midst the years Thy work revive.

Leading and light to Thee
And Thee alone belong;
Without Whom nothing is
Holy and nothing strong;
Who still proceedest from the Throne
Of God, and of the Lamb alone.

All Holy Paraclete,

Breath pure of God and prime
Soothe the rebellious moods

Of our disordered time.

Come as the Wind, the Fire, the Dove,
With sevenfold grace the world to move-

H. J. R. MARSTON, M.A.

(Late Fellow of Durham University).

Missionary Notes.

THE NEW MISSIONARY SHIP, JOHN WILLIAMS.-The London Missionary Chronicle gives an interesting account of their new missionary vessel, the fourth of the same name, which steamed down the Thames on May 18: "She left Gravesend the same afternoon, was quickly out in the Channel, where with a strong N.E, wind blowing she passed a lively' night, dropped her pilot off Plymouth early on Sunday morning, May 20 and is now speeding southwards to her headquarters in Australia. The John Williams awakened great enthusiasm, and won golden opinions on her tour from port to port round the coast. Ship, captain, officers and crew alike carry with them the good wishes and blessings of thousands, and will be followed with personal affection, intelligent sympathy, and earnest prayer by a very large circle of wellwishers. The steamer was sorely needed. Without such a connecting bond the greatly extended work in New Guinea, and the interdependence of that large heathen island and the Christianised islands of Eastern Polynesia, which are so nobly sending their children and giving their strength for its evangelisation, could no longer be efficiently maintained. No sailing ship could cope with the need in its present developed form. That conviction forces itself upon the minds of all who examine the circumstances. At the same time it is clear that the outlay involved in building her has added considerably to the Society's financial embarrassment. She cost in all £17,055 188. and is pronounced by competent judges to be cheap at the figure. But, unfortunately, she is not yet fully paid for, and part of the money spent in adequately providing for the Pacific has had to be, in a measure, taken from the Society's reserves, and cripples its power in meeting the claims of the Forward Movement. A noble response to the appeal for funds has been made by the children and young people throughout the United Kingdom. The list of shareholders contains 26,200 names, the owners of which possess 65,000 half-a-crown shares, smaller sums being added, a total of £11,677 1s. 4d. was raised before March 31, when the accounts for the year were closed, and a number of additional sums have been paid in since. This total is already more than £500 higher than the largest amount ever raised for our missionary ships before. Still, it falls below the mark, and a balance of £5,368 16s. 8d. has yet to be found. We beg for contributions towards the clearing off of this balance from the children in Christian homes, the scholars in Sunday-schools,

members of Bible-classes, and Young People's Societies of Christian Endeavour, and others who have not yet taken part in the delightful task of providing this valuable aid to the evangelisation of the oceanic world. From adults also help is solicited. Many will heartily sympathise with the efforts which, by means of this ship, are being made to reclaim the islands still untouched from the barbarism, gross darkness, and degradation in which they have so long been sunk."

MISSIONS AMONG THE ESKIMO.-The Church Missionary Intelligencer has the following: "An interesting new extension of our North American work is about to be inaugurated. On June 20, the Rev. E. J. Peck sails from the north of Scotland for Cumberland Bay (or Sound). Mr. Peck has long laboured among the Eskimo on the eastern shores of Hudson's Bay, and some of our readers will remember a journey he took across the northern part of Labrador to Ungava Bay. But. Cumberland Bay is much more remote. It is on the west side of Davis's Strait, opposite Greenland. The 65th parallel of west longitude and the 65th of north latitude cross each other just at its entrance, and the Arctic Circle crosses it higher up. Upon its coasts, and scattered over the wild wastes behind, are bands of wandering Eskimo hitherto entirely unreached; and to them Mr. Peck is going to carry the glad tidings of a Saviour's love. He is accompanied by a young layman from our Clapham Preparatory Institution, Mr. J. C. Parker."

CHINA INLAND MISSION.-The annual meeting of this Mission was recently held in the Mildmay Conference Hall. Sir George Williams, who presided, expressed his gratification at the fact that the number of baptisms reported from the Mission was larger last year than ever before. The report showed that during the year 61 new workers had been sent to China, four going from Australia and five from America. Of the 390 missionaries from this country now working in China under the Mission (the total from all countries being 456), 32 were supported by themselves 87 wholly and 16 partly by friends, and 255 by the Mission itself. At the 220 stations there were 366 native helpers, of whom 105 were not supported by the Mission. There were 134 organised churches and 4,234 communicants, the latter showing a net increase of 402 men and 126 women. The baptisms numbered 821, an increase of 148. The year's income, £32,178, showed an increase of £4,320; and the first five months of the present year an increase of £3,285. A letter was read from the Rev. Dr. Hudson Taylor, general director of the Mission at Shanghai, who said that the work was made more difficult by the increasing wave of anti-foreign sentiment. He reported an increased feeling of responsibility among native Christians for the maintenance and extension of their own work. The Rev. Yung King Yen, said that the China Inland Mission had occupied the most remote parts of the country, its missionaries had adopted native dress and customs and appealed for protection to native officials rather than to foreign Consuls, and it now stood fifth by membership on the list of societies working in China, though only twenty-third by date of formation. The progress of Christianity in China might seem slow from the point of view of Englishmen, who would spend millions on a railway in order to save ten minutes, but it did not seem slow to the Chinese. It would be still less slow but for the opium which came under the same flag as the missionaries. Mr. Montagu Beauchamp and other speakers followed, and an evening meeting was held in the same place.-The Times.

CEYLON. The twenty-eighth Report of the Tamil Cooly Mission has been received. This Mission was established in 1854, on the invitation of a few coffeeplanters, with the object in view of visiting the estates on the island where Tamil labour is employed to give instruction to the Christians and to carry the Gospel to the Heathen. Under the supervision of three European missionaries-the Revs. J. D. Simmons, H. Horsley, and J. Ilsley-it employs 2 Native clergymen, 34 Native catechists, 34 schoolmasters, and 7 schoolmistresses. The total number belonging to the congregation, including 771 children, is 2,270; the average number who attend the Sunday services, 831, and the number of communicants, 724; 54 adults were baptized during 1893, and there were 87 inquirers at the end of the year; 1,636 children are under instruction in forty vernacular schools, and 387 attend Sundayschools. The Native contributions amounted to Rs.4,020, and subscriptions to Rs. 3,620, which, together with a grant from the Society of Rs. 3,000 maintained the Native agency.-Church Missionary Intelligencer.