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portionate representation. The Rev. H. J. Piggott was elected president, and Signor L. Conti, secretary, and the sittings of the Committee are to be held quarterly.

The proposal made by Dr. MacDougall, at the recent assembly of the Chiesa Evangelica Italiana, that prizes should be offered for the best treatises on evangelisation was accepted by the assembly. The papers are to be six in number, to consist of from 10 to 20 pages, and to be awarded to such as may be thought meritorious by the Commission to be appointed by the Committee. The sums to be given are various; one of 100, another of 50, and four of 25 lire each.

Emigrants still continue to leave the Valleys for America. In November 38 families started from Genoa to rejoin their compatriots who went to North Carolina Last summer, and there founded a new Vaudois colony. As King Humbert recently remarked, it is much to be regretted that they should feel themselves obliged to do so. There is land in Italy waiting cultivation, especially in the south. It has been asked whether those who find themselves necessitated to leave their northern home would not go south, and form a colony of Vaudois, and thus become a centre of Christian life and activity.

MISSION TO THE ITALIAN SOLDIERS.

THE following facts, taken from the Report of the Mission to the Italian Soldiers, are full of encouraging interest :

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After mentioning that the Italian Military Church had completed its 21st year, and that through its influence many outside the army had been reached, including even priests and monks, the Report continues: "It was not likely that such success should be achieved without arousing the animosity of the priests. The Cardinal

Vicar issued a circular in the name of the Pope, to all bishops, directing them to communicate with all the parish priests, to the effect that they should not only seriously warn the young men of their parishes who were about to be quartered in Rome against the pernicious doctrines of the Evangelicals, but that they should also send a list of all such to him, and he would then charge the priests of the propaganda and of the Circolo di San Pietro to look them up." In one case a priest offered his sister as wife, besides money, to a non-commissioned officer, if he would break his connexion with the Soldiers' Church. "Our good Orlando, however, stood firm, and at last the priest exclaimed in despair: Then you are really convinced that the Evangelical religion is the religion of God?"" Eventually the priest asked for a Bible, which Orlando sent him. Another plan of the priests is to write to the soldiers' parents. "In one case," writes Cav. Luigi Capellini, the author of the Report, "they defeated their own purpose, for they wrote to the parents of Leddo Salvatore, in their usual manner, and this letter was the commencement of a correspondence between the parents and myself, with the happy result that when their son returned to his home in Sardinia he found both his father and mother disposed to listen to him, and he has since written me a letter, telling me how great is the power of the Word, and how all his family have embraced the Gospel." A sergeant is mentioned--an earnest Christian-who wrote to his brother, a priest, urging him to study "the religion of Christ as found in the Gospels." His letter was answered as follows: "Dear brother,-You are telling me nothing new. myself frequented the Military Church when I was a soldier, and I, too, heard Signor Capellini, and received from him a Bible and other books, which I use constantly. You remember that box which I guard so closely and shut whenever anyone enters the room? There I keep my treasure. I am a parish priest, and for family reasons known to you I cannot give up this position. But the Lord is using me to do good to these people. I remember what I heard from Signor Capellini, and preach Christ and Christ crucified. My people love me, but they little know that I preach the doctrines I learnt in the Military Church. How much good Signor Capellini is doing? Give him my grateful remembrances. Thank you, dear brother, for your advice. Practise it yourself and profit by your reading.-Your brother, "TOMMASO."

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A lady in America has borne witness to the results of the work as seen among the Italian emigrants in the New World. Last Christmas (1892)," continues the

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Report, we had a congregation of 300 at our service, 120 of whom took the Lord's Supper with us.” Such tidings from the land which has been so long the headquarters of Romanism cannot fail to encourage.

THE CLAIMS OF HOME AND FOREIGN MISSIONS. (A PARABLE.)

ONCE, in a great city, there arose a mighty famine. This city was in the domains of a king, wise and good, always ready to supply the needs of his subjects. No sooner did the cry of the starving masses reach his ear than he sent bread to that city-bread enough and to spare-with the command to his servants there: "Go to every house; give bread to every creature"-a command short and concise, but clear enough to convey his exact wishes to his servants. So we should say; and yet some time passed ere the servants fully realised that the command and the work were meant for them. Indeed, they seemed to be asleep until the cries of the starving could no longer be ignored.

Then they rose up in a great hurry and began rushing about with bread. But they made a great mistake; instead of spreading their forces and distributing their bread equally throughout the city, they collected in one small district and commenced to deal out the bread most liberally to its inhabitants, and soon they were all very busy indeed. Occasionally someone would suggest that bread might be needed in other parts of the city, but they were hushed up by the reply that they could spare no workers; the other parts of the city were dirty, low, and disagreeable. Besides, several were not quite sure that the King intended them to go to the other parts of the city; at any rate, he had not sent them an individual message. So they went on, growing more energetic, pressing everyone into their service, until actually among so many workers some houses were left without bread because each one supposed some one else had called there.

After a while they formed themselves into bodies and labelled their bread by various names, and each body praised their own bread and thought little of that of the other bodies, and then they fairly came to open quarrelling, for they were so numerous that they got into one another's way and were very jealous lest any of those they visited should taste any other bread than theirs. At first the people were confused, not knowing whose bread to take; many ending by taking some of all. Finally, many of them had so much that they grew tired of it, complained that it was stale, they must have new; others wanted it spiced and sweetened, or so thickly spread with jam that the bread could no longer be tasted; and the end of it all was, many declared that bread was no longer fit food for their children and they kicked it out of doors.

Meanwhile the cries of the starving ones became louder and more pitiful, and many among the workers felt that they must no longer close their ears; that the King did mean every house and every creature, and that his commands were as distinctly to them, as his servants, as though he had called them personally by name. And so they went in little bands, very few at first; more in time, as others recognised the call and as the pioneers came back to plead for more helpers and related the pitiful state of the starving masses. But they did not always come back, for many of the starving people had become mad through neglect, and, unable to distinguish friend from foe, they murdered many of those who came with the bread in their hands. Others, more intelligent, who knew what was going on in the favoured part of the city, asked "Why did you not come before? Do you not care that we starve ? We hear that those people are tired of bread and will not even give it to their children, while we have not had the chance of a crust for ourselves or our little ones."

And, oh! that was the hardest trial of all that these pioneers had to endure. But their example stirred up others, and as they fell, one by one, by the mad hands of some starving wretch, or by the more hidden dangers that infested those parts of the city, there were always others ready to fill up the gaps. At first they met with but scant sympathy from the mass of those busy workers. Loud were the grumblings when they suggested taking some of the bright young helpers back with them; many solemn utterances of that oft-quoted proverb-"Charity begins at home," but

there they always stopped and did not go any farther, quite forgetting that the rest of the proverb is-" but should never end there."

Many a fair young girl, casting wistful glances to the far-off neighbourhood of the starving, was chilled by the frowns of her mother, who bade her be content with carrying round a few loaves occasionally in her own immediate neighbourhood. Many a brave, talented youth, burning with zeal to rush off in answer to those heartrending appeals for help, was argued down by cool, sarcastic, sometimes half-plausible remarks and reasonings about "buried talents," " casting pearls before swine," "brilliant prospects at home," and "letting his light shine where it would be appreciated."

Some of them even began to take a pride in those small, but increasing bands, going forth from time to time; and as they bustled about, treading on each other's heels, often with scarcely anything in their baskets, but rushing on their rounds from mere force of habit, they would smile complacently at each other, and say " See what grand things we are doing over there!" But it never occurred to many of them that they ought to have been there too.

And suddenly the King came. As the busy workers paused expectantly to hear the words of approval and commendation they looked for from his lips, slowly and solemnly came these words: "This ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone."-The Gospel in All Lands.

Missionary Notes.

PROTESTANT STRENGTH IN TURKEY.-The statistics of the total Protestant missionary work in the Turkish Empire, including Egypt, are as follows: Foreign missionaries-men, 191; women, 294; total of foreign labourers, 485; native labourers, 1,817; organised churches, 202; communicants, 21,312; total of Protestants, 84,000; American colleges, 6; seminaries for girls, 31; total of mission schools, 892; boys in the same, 23,027; girls, 20,000; total of pupils in all mission schools, 43,027; languages in which the Bible is translated, 11; copies of Scriptures annually soid in the Turkish Empire, 60,000; separate works, religious and educational, issued in various languages from mission presses, 1,500.—The Church at Home & Abroad.

SYRIA.-Dr. H. H. Jessup, of Beyrout, gives some statistics as to mission growth in the Holy Land within the past 11 years, which are quite encouraging. Within these years, since 1881, the number of Protestants in Syria and Palestine has increased from 6,311 to 8,593; the communicants from 1,693 to 3,974. Foreign labourers have increased by 46, and native labourers by 59. Within the 11 years there has been an increase of 4,213 in the number of pupils in the Protestant schools, making the present number in these schools 18,837. This growth has taken place in spite of all the obstructions placed in the way of the truth by officials and by hostile ecclesiastics.

MADRAS.-The Rev. A. Andrew, of Chingleput, sends word that since his last letter he has admitted 64 persons as catechumens-16 at Kalattür, 16 at Kāyār, and 22 at Vadakkappattu. The Brahmins have tried to intimidate those at the last village, but Mr. Andrew believes that they will stand firm. A catechist has been settled at Kāyār, the people have themselves erected a shed to serve as a temporary school, and Government has been applied to for a site. In the beginning of November, the collector, or highest Government official over the district with its 1,100,000 people, visited the new Christian settlement at Senkunram. In a letter to Mr. Andrew enclosing a donation of 50 rupees, he said: Everything at the settlement deeply interested me the practical results you had already achieved, and the grand potentialities of which they gave evidence. I trust that in the future conduct of your noble work the fullest measure of success may be meted out." Mr. Andrew also says that a Hindu gentleman, not a Christian, but favourably disposed to Christianity, has presented a bell to the new church in Chingleput.

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CHRISTIAN POPULATION OF MADRAS.-The following facts are from a paper prepared by a leading native Christian of Madras city. The publication of the

Census Report for 1891 has enabled him to make the statements he does, with reference to the growth and position of the Christian population. "The total Christian population of the Madras Presidency increased from 699,680 in 1881 to 865,528 in 1891. The ratio of increase has been greater among Christians than in the community as a whole-the total population having increased by 15.28 per cent., while the Christian population has increased by 23.70 per cent. While this is so, the Christian community is still comparatively small. For every 10,000 of the population in the Presidency, 8,948 are Hindus, 632 are Mussulmans, and only 243 are Christians. Of the 865,528 Christians, 565,159 appear in the Census Report as Roman Catholics. The Protestants, however, have increased at a greater ratio (34.36 per cent.) than the Roman Catholics (19.19) per cent. As regards education the Christian community stands high, though a Western country would scarcely venture to congratulate itself on the result. Taking males of 25 and over, 71 per cent. of the Christians, 76 per cent. of the Mussulmans, and 82 per cent. of the Hindus are illiterate-that is, can neither read nor write. Among women of 25 and over, 9 per cent. of the Christians, 14 per cent. of the Mussulmans, and only per cent. of the Hindus are educated. These are facts which ought to stimulate the home churches to greater missionary activity.-Free Church Monthly.

SOUTH-WESTERN INDIA.-The Basel German Evangelical Mission in SouthWestern India. We have received the 53rd Report of this Mission (for the year 1892). The pamphlet is most interesting, and it contains valuable statistics regarding the whole work of this Mission. The sale of books and tracts number altogether 187,105 copies, and for which the sum of 28,729 rupees was received. There seem to be some 71 missionaries engaged in the field, while about 20 are at home, superannuated, we suppose. It should be added that, in addition to the brethren, there are 57 sisters, 14 native pastors, 112 evangelists, 14 colporteurs, 21 biblewomen, 150 Christian schoolmasters, and 45 schoolmistresses. The total number of communicants of the Native Church appears to be 5,699. There are two theological seminaries, where useful training is given. In both seminaries the students are initiated into their future work by taking part in bazaar preaching, and by making preaching excursions occasionally. There is also a literary department and printing-press at Mangalore.

CHINA. There are now over 100 medical missionaries in China, 56 of them being women. These last touch the home life of the people as men cannot do.

A CHINESE EVANGELIST.-A long and interesting letter from Dr. Griffith John appears in The Missionary Chronicle for August. In it he gives the history of a notable Chinese convert named T'ang. In his youth this man sought to become a Buddhist priest, but was prevented by the largeness of the entrance fee. Afterwards he began to attend the preaching of the missionaries, and was converted. His house was five or six miles from Hankow; but every Sabbath, for sixteen years, he regularly attended the services, bringing with him an everincreasing number of neighbours whom he had influenced. By-and-bye he was made a deacon, and became a preacher. But his business allowed him for a time to give only an hour a day to the work. His usefulness, however, grew to be so evident that his brothers and other relatives resolved to set him free for it entirely; and now, being supported by them, he gives his whole time to the Mission gratuitously. Is there not something here that might be imitated even in this country with advantage?

CHINA INLAND MISSION.-The China Inland Mission had, at the time of making up its annual returns, 552 workers, of whom 361 came from England, 42 from North America, and 34 from Australia. The rest, 115 in number, worked under the direction of the Mission, but belonged to other societies, chiefly Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish. The income received at home was £24,632, and that received in China (including sums sent from Australia) £9,860.

The growth

TRANSVAAL. The Wesleyan Mission has been most successful. within the past eight years, from 1884 to 1892, according to the Rev. Owen Watkins, who has recently visited this Mission, has been most remarkable. Within these eight years the native agents have increased from 97 to 538; the membership from 774 to 3,539; the attendance at public whorship from 11,254 to 25,308. The increase in membership during the past year was 409.

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BIBLE CIRCULATION.- -We extract the following from the Bible Society's recently published report: "In France, as in other Roman Catholic countries-but specially, perhaps, in France-the colporteurs find their path everywhere crossed by a figure they have long learned to regard as the most persistent enemy of their work -it is that of the curé, who, denouncing and often destroying their books as ' falsified Protestant versions,' is far from careful to have his people supplied with editions of his own. 'What could we not do were the curés but favourable to the circulation of the Word of God!' writes one of the men, when he once met a friendly priest, whose word of encouragement gave rapid sale to a number of copies in the little village. One of the colporteurs says I find more ignorance than ill-will among Roman Catholics, many of whom evidently feel that the Gospel is precisely what they are in want of. Many Roman Catholics want to know why they are not allowed to read the Bible, and I am often more welcomed by them than by certain so-called Protestants who have given up protesting-which is the worst of all. It is, however, too evident that the Roman Catholic clergy are deeply hostile to the free circulation of the Bible, and that those who want to read it must do so in secret, otherwise the book is taken from them and destroyed. The books saved are read, and are sure to bear fruit.' The mischief worked by the immoral press is referred to in the following: In a course of a long tour in the Ardennes, I visited a place where I had not been for ten years, and I remembered having been there very well received. But what a change now, although I still sold 57 copies. The public mind is quite different from what it was then. Bad books largely circulated have ruined the faith among all these people. "How is it possible," they say, "that anyone nowadays can believe such things?" I have never had to fight more, and my heart was sick.' From both Spain and Portugal come brightest reports. Notwithstanding most violent opposition from the priests, the Scriptures are more and more sought for, and the work is bearing rich fruit in a great and general spiritual revival. Mr. Jameson thus describes the situation: The work of the colporteurs has been largely to prepare for yet higher work, and for a higher class of workers. But this class has now been furnished, and we already begin to see the results-meetings attended by hundreds of people, educated men being brought into contact with educated evangelical thought, and fresh interest in the Scriptures awakened in many places. And to cro wn all, in Madrid-the very centre of the religious and political and literary life of the country-there has been opened a new Bible house which men of education and importance are able to visit, and where they admire the linguistic achievements of the Society and praise its generosity. In a word, in addition to the devoted, patient labours of the colporteurs, the Society is beginning to be recognised as a great institution; and there is a disposition continually evidenced to accept a simple Bib ical Christianity, which makes one very hopeful of the future of Spain. The circumstances of the time favour greatly this new departure. There is a most manifest movement towards something better and higher; several popular writers have been emphasising the need of a purer morality and a more spiritual religion; they appear unconsciously to be stretching out their hands towards the Society, and asking to be led further on. A rising politician has given strong expression to the view that a most unmistakable reaction is manifesting itself in a religious sense. Twenty-five years ago the leaders of thought declared that the people could do without religion, but experience has shown that is an impossibility. The most advanced thinkers and eager politicians are pointing to the countries where the Divine Book has proved itself the power of God unto salvation.' Mr. Jameson has organised what is virtually a new branch of service-a band of helpers, themselves educated and accomplished, who by personal conferences and public addresses on the Scriptures may awake the attention which has become so languid, and create the demand which has been so partial and limited. Mr. Jameson adds: 'I do confess that the effects of our recent work seem to me of the most far-reaching nature. When we think of the age-long exclusion of God's Word from all departments of life in the country it is very encouraging to think that to day it is made in so many places the theme of conversation and discussion. To awake this spirit of inquiry is the very business of the men recently associated in work, and no one who knows the utter ignorance of the Scriptures prevalent among all classes in Spain can question the need of their activity. The Bible Society is being, I am assured, naturalised as it has never been before-misapprehensions are being removed.'"

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