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tion. In the humble dwelling of a weaver I preached in the evening to a crowded congregation who had come together, notwithstanding the rain, which fell incessantly during the day and night. I felt sensibly the aid of the Holy Spirit, so that I doubt not a blessing attended the service. Afterwards we sat down at the Lord's table, twelve disciples, happily united, and a goodly number of witnesses were present, among whom were several who long after salvation.

Aug. 1.-Walked with the whole family whose hospitality I was enjoying to Güttmannsdorf, an hour and a half distant. The mountains rose higher and higher. The rain, which threatened again, soon prevailed, and continued to fall heavily all day. It was a most happy event for Silesia, which had suffered all summer from a scorching drought, notwithstanding that now, just in harvest-time it did some damage, and prevented our meetings from being well attended. In the morning I preached with much liberty and power. In the afternoon attended a Church meeting, at which some threatening difficulties were amicably settled. [On the third, Mr. Lehmann proceeded on his way to the Glutz mountains and Voigtsdorf, by the way of Frankenstein. As he advanced, the road wound over precipitous crags, night came on with thunder and rain, the frightened horse, backing, brought the carriage into imminent danger of being thrown down into the deep abysses, and there was but a step between him and death. At ten o'clock the driver refused to proceed amid so much peril, and they put up for the night. The next day they reached Voigtsdorf.]

The hut and environs were turned into an island, and by planks and leaps we got over the streams. In a clear moment in the afternoon I climbed the mountains, and, impressed by the beauty of the landscape, I regretted deeply that I could not admire it under a milder sunshine. I looked over the scene of our dear Brother Albrecht's first labours and sufferings amidst a Roman Catholic population, and could rejoice that now the storm had subsided, and peace and liberty were enjoyed. No opposition was shown to our proceedings, and hence I was able to anticipate the more confidently the last victory of Christ over all His enemies.

A SABBATH IN THE MOUNTAINS.

5.-The Sabbath appeared, the rain still prevailing. This, however, did not prevent our friends from flocking together from all quarters, as many as the large room could

well contain. We had a fervent prayer meeting, after which I preached from Ps. cxix. 47. After the sermon in the afternoon, Brother Knappe was solemnly introduced to his work as a missionary of our Association. He proceeded at once to administer baptism to a young girl previously received by the Church. The baptistry was excavated just in front of the house, and is constantly filled by a clear brook. The brook was now changed into a stream. A fairer baptistry could hardly be had. The situation was commanding. I then administered the Lord's Supper, after which some of the friends who lived near left us. The rest remained, and in sweet intercourse, in a Silesian manner and dialect (quite peculiar), and in our beautiful songs of Zion, we spent the residue of the evening. We were lighted by small slivers of beech wood fastened at the top of a pole on a stand, which of course required the constant watch and care of our host. The Sabbath was full of joy to our whole company.

On Monday the weather gradually cleared up. The clouds moved slowly along the ground in this high situation, and now and then a sunbeam announced the final victory of the king of day. On breaking up we marched in a long procession, gradually diminishing in number as the ways bent here and there. We had the most splendid views over the valleys and plains from our heights, which must frequently be climbed with great exertion. The stream at our side rolled rapidly forward its swollen waters, and our path along its shores was of the most picturesque character. Our company consisted of brethren and sisters, all of whom were anxious to aid me.

Our object was to reach the Rothe Berg (red mountain), so called from its colour, and covered with wood. It was the residence of one of the brethren in our company, who holds the office of forester. We reached it at noon, after several difficulties in crossing swollen brooks, and were gladly received and entertained. From this spot we had the most splendid views round about into the county of Glatz, as well as of the city of Glatz, which lies at the foot of the mountain. Here I enjoyed the first clear day, which I spent chiefly in writing, seated on a steep acclivity above a rolling stream, covered by overshadowing oaks, while all around was sunshine and peace. In one place our forester expressed his joy in having me in his territory, by repeatedly firing his gun.

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law I declare this meeting to be dissolved." | wards, as is customary here, the friends staid for hours in mutual love and conversation on their happiness, their struggles, and their hopes.

I objected to that as not lawful, but his only reply was, "I have already twice declared this meeting dissolved; I now do it for the third time." Knowing what consequences would follow if strict obedience were not rendered, I advised our friends to leave the place at once, speaking some words of encouragement and hope to them. The lord of the manor waited till all had dispersed, with the exception of myself and a few others who were guests of the family. I sat down at once and wrote a protest against these proceedings to the Landrath (governor of the district), and advised our friends to prosecute the matter before the highest authority. This person has employed every sort of malice to subdue our few brethren, not allowing them to hold meetings; and, like all others of this stamp, he is supported regularly by the higher authorities, so that it is very difficult for the brethren to get together for their mutual edification.

THE GOSPEL IN CITY AND COUNTRY.

16. At Liegnitz, in the evening, the meeting was but thinly attended. In Peilau, God has manifested His power extensively, and most of the souls are gathered to Him. It is singular how in God's sovereign pleasure, our plans are often crossed. We commonly think that we should form Churches in large towns and gather in much people; but there the doors are generally shut, and in the country and the villages the Lord opens the way for us. Liegnitz, though a town of considerable extent, and also the seat of the provincial government, contains only sixteen members; while in the village of Güttmannsdorf there are fourty-four, and many more in the environs.

17.-I was received most kindly at Breslau, and preached twice and administered the Lord's Supper. In the morning, The following day we had a very in- a police officer was present to watch our teresting though fatiguing tour. Our first proceedings, a practice which has been conintention had been to go to Wolmsdorf, a tinued for years, the authorities being distance of three hours, for the purpose of inimical. His conduct was unobjectionable. preaching. But when we had arrived The members here are not numerous; they on the height of a mountain, a vil- number but forty-two, including the enlage was pointed out at the distance virons. Their place of mecting holds about of three hours in another direction. one hundred, and nearly that number atNotwithstanding the heat of the sun and tended when I preached; but so large an my fatigue, I could not resist the supplica- assembly is unusual. The place is up three tion of the brethren. So we proceeded, flights of stairs, under the roof, so that it and, accompanied by Brother B, who was extremely hot, and the noise from the knew every path, we crossed the forest street, which is a main one, compelled us without any way, and plunged into the to keep the windows shut. Were the acvalley in the thickest shrubbery. At the commodations for worship improved, and a foot we rejoiced to find a spring and a preacher of talent and power placed here, brook, from which we drew refreshing much might be hoped for among the draughts. I wish I could have photo-150,000 inhabitants. As it is, the increase graphed such a scene,-the thickest beech- of our brethren is small, but they are corwood and the sunbeams breaking through dially united. openings here and there.

Having arrived at the village, we were cordially received by the poor people, and after refreshment, proceeded to examine the candidates for baptism. But I found that they needed more information in the way of salvation; and, much as I would have liked to administer baptism in the Bober, I felt bound by duty to abstain. Though the candidates were grieved, they at length acquiesced, and accompanied us to Wolmsdorf. In our walk of six or seven hours, our company gradually increased. When we arrived, I found a crowded congregation, in and out of doors, to whom we preached "the unsearchable riches of Christ." After

On Tuesday I reached Kadlewe. Mr. J. and wife are the main family here, around which the others gather. A great crowd awaited us at the house, bought expressly by Mr. J. to hold meetings in. It was densely filled, and I preached with much joyfulness the glorious Gospel.

THE PAST AND THE PRESENT.

On leaving Silesia I could not forbear thinking of my last visit, eight years ago. I then came to this region with great expectations of a wonderful addition to our Churches. My expectations were disappointed; but now, how great was the change! Then there were only a few scattered brethren in Silesia, and very little

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hope of extension. Now I had travelled | places resounded with the songs of Zion. over the field four or five weeks, and almost My tears had not flowed, my prayers had daily had opportunity to preach to crowds, not ascended in vain. or to smaller companies of brethren or of souls longing for salvation, and numerous

HUNGARY.

Pesth, Nov. 12, 1858. Dear Dr. Steane,-Truly this is a dark country! Were I to attempt to give you anything like a specified description of the spiritual destitution and of the moral depravation of the people, I should have to fill many pages of your much-valued periodical, and I should have to relate things almost incredible, fearful, and yet but too true. I could never myself have believed what I have now to witness here continually. As to the Roman Catholic Church, we need not wonder at its sad condition, because history, as well as the facts and statistics of our own times, show us everywhere the evil workings of that system. But that the Protestant Church could ever have become so degenerate, so dead, and so corrupted, as is the case here, both in its ministers and in its members, this certainly is astonishing, and can hardly be accounted for.

G. W. LEHMANN.

and then there is nothing in the way of their distribution. In this also I have been making a small experiment, and the effects were greatly encouraging. But in order to carry out this scheme on a larger scale and more effectually, some pecuniary assistance would be necessary. Would not some Christian friends in England, who feel a pity for poor perishing souls in Hungary, be willing to help in this matter? I shall be most happy to lend my aid in getting up the required publications, and disseminating them in this country. Circumstances, which I need not allude to any farther, forbid me stating any details regarding my proposed plan of working, only I must not omit to mention that in these undertakings I have a most zealous assistant in Mr. a dear young Christian brother; and our friends in England may rest assured that the support they may be willing to grant will be applied towards sending among the people that which is the one thing needful for them, viz., the knowledge of Christ and Him crucified, and this blessed Gospel message will be brought before them in as plain a language and as attractive a form as possible, and as abundantly as means will permit. Let it be remembered that those also who are not able to do much, can in this way especially-even by a small donation-be the means of sending a ray of Gospel light into some dark mind, and a word of comfort into some wretched dwelling; yea, every halfpenny will enable us to provide some one with a full account and appeal to his heart and conscience as to what he must do to be saved. We need but remember what, even to our knowledge, tracts have already Under the existing want of Evangelical done in bringing souls to the Lord, and preachers, and without any hopeful pros- more than we can know here eternity will pect of getting them, there appears to me disclose. Should, then, this not be an enonly one medium, through which the Gos-couragement to extend this blessed instrupel might, perhaps, be propagated here, and that is, by means of the press. Now here again we meet, it is true, with the difficulty (or almost impossibility) of importing and Yours very truly in the Lord, disseminating tracts and other religious. publications from Germany and elsewhere; **When we were in Vienna in the sumbut fortunately we can have them printed mer of 1857, we ascertained the fact stated here, if the contents be only carefully chosen, in the foregoing letter, that while religious

Yet such is really the case, and so there is here, indeed, a call for labourers. But whence are they to come, since even in the theological seminaries of this country Rationalism and unbelief prevail? Neither can we hope to see such men introduced from Germany, on account of many existing difficulties. The Lord only knows in which way the light of the Gospel may once more be diffused in these benighted realms. Certain it is that upon the whole the people are very willing to hear and to accept of the truth, and in the little sphere of my own labours, I have, during the short space of my own residence here, which is now a little more than a year, met with the most gladdening results.

mentality also to Hungary, hoping and praying that the Lord would give increase to the seed thus scattered?

A.

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tracts imported from foreign countries are seized and their circulators punished, such as are printed in the Austrian empire may be distributed; their distribution, that is, is not illegal. We cannot, therefore, but call the attention of our readers to this important statement, and enforce the appeal of our valued correspondent. Though prudence

induces us to withhold his name, we may add that he is personally known to us, and we have entire confidence that whatever British Christians entrust to him will be faithfully applied to the intended purpose. Contributions may be sent to us directed to Rev. Edward Steane, D.D., Camberwell, Surrey (S.)

SWEDEN.

STRICTURES OF THE STOCKHOLM WATCHMAN, ON DR. STEANE'S "RECOLLECTIONS OF A RECENT VISIT."

It was scarcely to be expected that our friends in Sweden would not feel themselves called upon to say something in reply to the statements that are now so prevalent of the intolerance which obtains in their country. They have done this. The leading religious journal of Stockholm has in two numbers reviewed Dr. Steane's "Recollections of a Recent Visit" which appeared in our pages in the months of September, October, and November, last year. As we have every wish to act impartially, we here extract those parts of its strictures which relate to this subject. They are as follows:

"Our readers," says the Watchman, "may remember the deputation of two English Baptists, Doctors Steane and Hinton, who last summer visited Sweden, partly to attend a Conference of Baptists, and partly to open negotiations with some of our leading men in Church and State in favour of religious liberty. Dr. Steane has inserted an account of this journey in the periodical edited by himself, called Evangelical Christendom, in which he speaks highly of the reception he and his friend experienced, and reports the results of his accomplished errand. We cannot fully enter into the details of his description, but give a sketch of the most prominent and weighty. As respects his account of the ecclesiastical condition of the country, it is to be regretted that the writer has been guilty of several not inconsiderable exaggerations, occasioned, as it appears, by incorrect information or hastily-formed conclusions. Without question, it must be an exaggeration to say that the Lutheran Church in Sweden is the most despotic ecclesiastical body in existence, not excepting even the Papacy. But we wonder not at this opinion from one who immediately afterwards, with perfect seriousness, says, a maid servant even cannot change her domestic service without the permission of the clergy. A parishioner

may not change his residence into another parish without the clergyman's permit, and two parishioners from different parishes may not intermarry, if either of the two clergymen refuses a certificate.

It is surprising that the writer could believe such evidently unfounded accounts, and without further inquiry insert them in a paper which is read over the whole world; and this is the more surprising as both Dr. Steane and his companion showed, during their residence in Sweden, that they were animated by a mild and loving spirit, far from all sectarian bitterness. With greater reason, the writer complains of the ruling coercion as to baptism, confirmation, and the Lord's Supper, the conventicle law, &c., &c." On this extract Dr. Steane submits the following remarks:

He is grateful to the Watchman for the acknowledgment so courteously made that he and his friend exhibited no sectarian spirit in Sweden, but were rather animated by the mild temper of Christian charity. He knows how anxious they both were to meet all their fellow-Christians in the spirit of love, and he is thankful to learn that in the judgment of the Watchman they did not fail in this respect of their object. And he takes the liberty now to assure his Swedish friends that in the statements he has published of what he saw and learned in their country he desired to set down nothing that was not consistent with truth, and even to speak the truth, where he had reason to suppose that its publication might be painful to them, without party bitterness. In this also he hopes, notwithstanding the strictures of the Watchman, he has not substantially failed. Indeed, there is no allegation of party spirit or bitterness, and this topic may, therefore, be dismissed without another word. The two points against the accuracy of which exception is taken relate to the intolerance of the Church and the power of the clergy.