have been tried generally with gratifying success, by Mr. French and Mr. Hooper at Lahore, by Mr. Sheldon and Mr. Shirt at Karachi, and by Mr. A. Stern in Bengal. The Rev. W. T. Satthianadhan, of Madras, has lately built a hall specially for such purposes; but excepting in this latter case we think the plan is a novelty in the hands of native Christians. We rejoice heartily that the Church of Christ in North India can produce able and learned men for such an effort; and this one fact is of itself a sufficient reply to the depreciatory remarks on the converts recently made in a letter to the Times by an educated Hindu.—Church Missionary Intelligencer and Record.

ITALY: PROGRESS OF THE WALDENSIAN CHURCH MISSIONS.-MEETINGS TO PROMOTE a Revival of RELIGION.-An account has just been issued of a year's work in Italy in connection with the Waldensian Church Missions as reported to their annual Synod at La Tour in September last. These Missions are aided by a Central Committee for England, who were last year the medium of transmitting upwards of £2,000 towards their support.

It appears from the narrative that, besides the care of congregations, the

WORK OF EVANGELIZATION

has been vigorously carried on at all the stations. Opportunities have been seized for preaching the Gospel to large audiences, at funerals, and on other special occasions, by which great numbers have been reached who do not attend the regular services; a good many cases of individual conversion have cheered the hearts of the evangelists; discussions with the priests have in some instances led persons to examine the Scriptures for themselves; a large number of Roman Catholic children have been brought under Gospel teaching in the schools; and four new stations have been

formed. It is also satisfactory to learn that the Church-members are being trained to systematic giving in support of religious ordinances.

The Waldensian Church has in Italy, in addition to the sixteen parishes of the Valleys, forty settled congregations and ten missionary stations, besides fifty localities visited more or less frequently by its agents. The number of ordained ministers is twenty, of licentiates ten, and of schoolmaster-evangelists fourteen. The Commission has also under its charge fifty-three teachers and five colporteurs. The regular attendants at church are three thousand three hundred and fifty, the occasional hearers fifteen thousand. The number of communicants was two thousand one hundred and forty, of newlyadmitted members one hundred and twenty-five, and of candidates for membership three hundred and ninetyeight.

There are fifty-nine dayschools, with an attendance of two thousand pupils, and thirty-nine Sabbath-schools, with an attendance of one thousand four hundred and forty.

It is matter for deep thankfulness that the revival with which our own country has been visited has awakened earnest longings on the part of many in Italy for similar "times of refreshing," and there are already indications that their prayers are being answered. Many of the pastors and evangelists have experienced an increase of spiritual life, which doubtless will be felt by their congregations and in their respective neighbourhoods in time to

come.

Last summer a series of evangelistic meetings was held in the Valleys for three successive days, under such encouragement that similar services were renewed during the week before the meeting of the Synod at La Tour, which were largely attended, and accompanied with manifest blessing. But the most interesting occasion as affecting the mission work was the

GENERAL CONFERENCE OF DEPUTIES

from all parts of Italy, which met at Genoa on the 19th of August. The congregations throughout Italy have been marked off into five districts, under the names of Piedmont, Lombardy, Tuscany, Rome and Naples, and Sicily. In each of these a Conference is to be held annually, to consider the state of the congregations and the interests of religion generally, and these again are to assemble in Synod periodically in one of the cities of Italy. On a late occasion sixty-five deputies met in Genoa for four successive days. Signor Turin, of Milan, preached the opening sermon; and the Rev. Donald Miller writes that "the burning words which flowed from his lips made a profound impression on all present, and awakened in every heart the expectation of great things." On the last day, Signor Malan, of Messina, preached from the words: " Christ, the power of God." Signor Turin writes:-" One of the principal objects we had in view was a revival in each one of ourselves, and the grace to become afterwards the means of revival in our congregations. Thank God, we are all able to testify to the truth of our Lord's promise, 'He that seeketh findeth.' We sought His face, and He caused the light of His countenance to shine upon us. The result of this was a deep sense of sin, and the need of confessing to God and to our brethren, true joy in the sense of pardon and reconciliation with God, and a desire to consecrate ourselves entirely to His service. Some said they had never before experienced such a sense of the love and faithfulness of God." Mr. Miller confirms this statement, adding: "I can conscientiously say that I have seldom been more sensible of the Holy Spirit's presence;......no one could listen to these men beseeching one another with tears to strive together in their prayers to God for an abundant outpouring of His Spirit on them and

on their beloved land, without feeling that God's gracious promise was even then being fulfilled: 'While they are yet speaking, I will hear.' Already these earnest and devoted men, cordially welcomed by the parish ministers, have gone to hold

REVIVAL SERVICES

throughout the length and breadth of the Waldensian Valleys. They have gone to prove God. 'Let us go,' said one of them, 'not hoping that our Churches may be revived, but believing that they will.'' And Signor Turin writes of these evangelistic services: "What a pleasure it was for us to see our beautiful mountains, to breathe freely the fresh, pure air of our valleys, to talk of holy things with our dear brethren the pastors, to preach on Sunday mornings to a congregation three times as numerous as those of our respective stations, and in the afternoon to gather together in the open air, under the trees, a crowd of hearers hungering for the Word of God! Those eight days were truly refreshing days for the body and for the soul." It is manifest that throughout the country there is a

STRONG REACTION GOING ON

from Popery to infidelity. The arrogance of the priests and their attempts to blindfold the people are no longer submitted to as of old; but the result, unfortunately, is a distrust of all religions. That God should at this time grant a spirit of revival to His people is a happy omen, and that men should be going forth to proclaim Christ as the only Saviour and Deliverer, should stir our hearts to more earnest and believing prayer.-Evangelical Christendom.

PROGRESS OF THE WORK OF GOD AT CALTANISETTA IN SICILY.-The history of the station at Caltanisetta, where a little Church has for the first time been organized, is interesting. Signor Coppola (its elder) was the first candidate

admitted as a member of the Church at Catania by Signor A. Malan, in 1868. Enjoying the confidence of the Government as an employé, he was removed to Caltanisetta, and as there was no evangelical church in this town, he held a service in his own house with his family every Lord'sday. The curiosity of his neighbours on hearing the singing was aroused. They were invited to join, which led first to one family, then a second, then a third, taking part in the service, till the congregation amounted to twenty persons. Signor Coppola then made a request to Signor Malan that they might be united to the Waldensian Church, and on the 18th of July of the past year he had the privilege of admitting five of their number to the Lord's Supper. These brethren continue faithful witnesses to the truth, and are visited, from time to time, by Signor Malan. A testing season soon afterwards arrived to one of them in his illness and approaching death. No such event had ever occurred as one dying in the Evangelical faith, and the priests were naturally on the watch to prevent such a scandal. Accordingly the brethren arranged, after earnest prayer, to keep guard alternately over his sick bed. The dying man said, "I have no need of a priest; I am a true Evangelical Christian, and my priest is Jesus Christ." Attempts to enter his house were resolutely refused, and as the Amen of the last prayer was pronounced, he said, "How sweet are the words Jesus Christ!" and with that name on his lips he expired. At the funeral more than a thousand persons followed his remains to the grave; and Signor Tron, of Riesi, had the privilege of addressing to an attentive audience the words of eternal life. The brethren at Caltanisetta hope soon to have a place for

public worship, and an evangelist to minister to them.-Evangelical Christendom.

CHRISTIAN LABOUR AMONG THE JEWS IN BRESLAU. We copy the following interesting statement from the Jewish Herald:-Mr. Schwartz, after perзonal labour and experience of nearly thirty years, expresses his conviction “that, notwithstanding outward infidelity and indifference, the Jews in general are being deeply and widely influenced by our humble instrumentality, and that we shall, most assuredly, see much fruit at no distant day." This is illustrated by the case of a family of means, with which he became acquainted through meeting the mother and an afflicted daughter at a bathing-place in Upper Silesia. They were adherents of Talmudical Judaism, and the missionary found it useful to set before them the doctrines and principles of the Gospel, contrasting them by the way with the tenets of the rabbis. The old lady "soon found repose in the undying words of the Saviour," and she came to "count those hours the happiest of her life, when she could converse about those things that belong to our everlasting peace."

On their return to Breslau the mis

sionary was received into their home circle, and had many opportunities of bearing Christian testimony to the father and other members of the family." The old lady repeatedly gave evidence of her faith in Jesus, but was not permitted to give a final proof by confession, as she was suddenly called hence by a stroke of apoplexy." In their affliction the consolations of the Gospel seemed precious to a son who had previously given no heed to religion, and to the other sorrowing

ones.

Foreign Bible Society. She was deeply interested in the conversion of the Jews; and her zeal on behalf of the Wesleyan Missionary Society was ardent, practical, and abiding. Indeed, it may be safely affirmed, that by working, collecting, or advising in committee, she rendered most valuable aid to almost every religious enterprise in the town, or even in the Circuit, and to every philanthropic movement in the locality, in which a lady could take a share. She felt it a joy and privilege to live for the good that she might do. Her religious principles and purposes were so firm, her disposition so genial, her voice so cheery, her intelligence so bright, and her conversation generally so animated and sparkling, that by her many a weary one has been cheered in toil, and the desponding have again taken heart.

But while her Christianity was so practical it must not be supposed that she trusted for salvation in any righteousness of her own. Her outward activities were the fruit and evidence of an inward vigorous religious life. The cross of Christ was her motive, the example of Christ her pattern, and the glory of Christ her end. All her duties were as modestly, as they were efficiently, performed. She seemed ever to remember the words of the Master: "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do."

On June 16th, 1868, she was married to Captain Henry Boyns, and the union was in every respect a happy one. Her active services in connection with the Church were not restricted, but rather facilitated and increased; while, at the same time, her home was always attractive and bright. "She looked well to the ways of her household," and "the heart of her husband did safely trust in her." "She opened her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue was the law of kindness."

The illness that terminated in her

death was comparatively short, but her sufferings were most severe. In seasons of extreme agony, however, her spirit was reverently submissive to the Divine will, and her "patience of hope" endured to the end. During her affliction her confidence in Christ as her only and sufficient Saviour was often unmistakably expressed, and her last words were,

"This all my hope and all my plea,

For me the Saviour died." In the full assurance of faith she passed to her reward on Monday, August 31st, 1874, aged fifty-seven years.

"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."

N. BOYNS.

THE late MR. GEORGE JAMES HARGREAVES, of Davyhulme, in the Manchester (City Road) Circuit, was born in London, on the 23rd of September, 1821, and died at his residence in Davyhulme, on the 30th of July, 1874, being in the fifty-third year of his age.

In early life he was taken by his parents to the Wesleyan chapel in St. George's in the East, and was connected with the Sunday-school there. When about sixteen years of age, he was, with an elder sister, savingly converted to God, and the two met afterwards in the same Society-class.

Soon after this time he went to business; and having, for two years, approved himself to his employer, who had also an establishment in Manchester,he was requested to go thither, and, with that promptitude which characterised him throughout life, he at once consented. This was about the year 1837 or 1838. He immediately joined a class in the Grosvenor Street Circuit, and became a teacher in the London Road Sunday-school, where he remained two or three years.

In the early part of the year 1840, he removed into the Great Bridge