restricted voluntary effort, with a fair field, and no favour; the best possible theatre for the development of the vital forces of truth and error respectively. Here any system which really possesses life, can live, while the purely superstitious and inanimate will die. Here, according to our faith in it, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ will live, and as he shall see fit to bless it, will prevail; and we desire for it no happier position. Such a position we trust it will now have, and our hearts will rejoice over all labourers, of whatever communion, or in whatever numbers, who shall go forth in simplicity with this, and with no other instrumentality. In this work we are sure that our more immediate brethren will not be backward. India is to them a field of missionary labour of too hallowed memories, of too costly sacrifices, of too abundant blessing, and of too fervent hopes, for them not to take a place in the first rank of the enlarged missionary enterprise.

Let us, ere we close these remarks, be permitted to express our hope, that the great motive under which the coming efforts will be undertaken, will be not of a political and a secular, but of a spiritual kind. It is not that we estimate at a low value the influence of Christianity in diffusing the elements of national peace and social virtue, but we certainly do esti mate at an unspeakably higher value the souls of men and their immortal destiny. It was for these that Christ came to men; and grievously will the missionary work in India fall below its proper dignity if it comes to be regarded as a mere means of creating faithful soldiers and submissive serfs, and of perpetuating over that glorious region the sway of the British sceptre. We think it highly likely indeed that such an expectation would be signally disappointed. It is a fact established by long experience, that the reception of the gospel inspires men with a sense not only of their duties, but also of their rights; that it teaches them clearly to appreciate injustice, and vigorously to resist it; that it whispers in their ear their claim to freedom, and inspires them with courage to assert it. Already this kind of influence is in some parts of India sensibly felt; and, with the further diffusion of the gospel, it will, no doubt, be felt much more powerfully. Let the British Government, therefore, mind what they are about. If they mean to perpetuate in the East the system of exhausting taxation, grinding oppression, and mocking injustice, which has long prevailed, and still prevails there, let them be assured that nothing can be expected from the diffusion of Christianity but the increase of just discontent and the generation of active resistance. The only way in which they can hope to derive any benefit from the spread of the gospel, is to rule in harmony with the gospel, in a method of practical justice and benevolence; to hold India, not for dividends and patronage, but for the development of the secular well-being of its people.

In conclusion, we should be sorry if enlarged efforts for the evangelisation of India were undertaken with an ill-founded-we mean a too sanguine-expectation. Undoubtedly they will not be without success. The whole earth is to be filled with the knowledge and glory of the Lord, and therefore India shall be so. And the preaching of the gospel is, so far as human exertion is concerned, the divinely-appointed instrument for attaining this desired consummation. But we do not know that the actual conversion of the world to God is to spring immediately, or even directly, from this instrumentality. The preaching of the gospel has a probationary, as well as a subduing efficacy, and our Lord himself said, This gospel of the kingdom shall first be preached in all the world, for

a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come" (Matt. xxiv. 14). With all earnestness and zeal let us preach the gospel; but let us not be disappointed if, to a greater extent, it should be rather as "a witness unto them," than as the means of actual conversion; rather as carrying out an appointed scheme of moral probation, preparatory to the development of other powers, than as directly effecting the subjugation of the world to Christ.

GLAD TIDINGS FROM SWEDEN.

IMMEDIATELY on the close of the Hamburg conference, we were favoured with a report of the meetings, by the Rev. Hugh Anderson, of Bratton, which appeared in our November number. We have since received from Mr. M. H. Wilkin a translation of the speech of Mr. Möllersward, one of the most devoted and laborious of our Swedish brethren. We are sure that his statements will be read, as they were heard, with interest and gratitude. He said :—

"I have been deputed by our brethren in Stockholm to tell of the work of the Lord in my fatherland, and to bring you their hearty greetings.

"Twenty years ago, darkness reigned in Sweden. Rationalism and infidelity went so far, that the preachers were almost ashamed to mention the name of Christ in the pulpit, and used rather to give advice to their congregations as to their agricultural operations. But lately great things have been done in Sweden. We receive by almost every post news of some fresh revival. The beginning of these movements was the preaching of George Scott, Wesleyan minister, in Stockholm. There were, indeed, already, some who were seeking salvation, but they were still under the yoke, and evangelical truth was scarcely known. That happened, however, in Sweden, which has happened everywhere else,persecutions followed in word and deed, especially in Stockholm, where Scott preached. His church was stormed, and he was obliged to flee to England. Still the Lord did not leave us, but began still greater things. Great awakenings arose in all the provinces ;-in some parishes the excitement was so great, that at last it was considered almost a shame not to be a Christian. Of course there was much hypocrisy in these movememts, but many were really in earnest in following Christ.

"The authorities carried on the persecutions more and more vehemently, the clergy having always the principal hand in them. As a proof of their violence, I will mention that a man had to pay 100 dollars, only because he had read the Lord's Prayer and a portion of Luther's Haus Postille. It was when these persecutions had reached their height that the Baptists appeared in Sweden. A church was formed in Gothenburg by Friedrich Olaus Nilsson, who had been baptized here in Hamburg. He was, as you know, afterwards driven from the land and his flock scattered. Then came a Swede, who had lived in England and belonged to a Baptist church, and he began to speak with the brethren on the evil of infant baptism. This, however, did not produce much effect, till a clergyman from Sweden visited Hamburg, and spoke with the brethren here. From them he received some tracts, the perusal of which was the means of convincing him of the truth of our opinions. After his return home, he published a work on the subject, which was the means of convincing many others. This clergyman is our dear brother Wiberg, now pastor of the Baptist church at Stockholm. Soon after his baptism he went to America, and joined there the church where I also was afterwards baptized, When I returned to Sweden, there were no Baptists except the little band at Gothenburg. About a year later, the brethren Forssel and Heidenberg came over here and were baptized. Heidenberg was also ordained here, and on returning to Sweden, baptized many others. This, however was an unheard-of thing in our country, and of course excited the rage of the priests. Our brethren were condemned to heavy imprisonment; and one of the largest prisons in Sweden was so full of Baptists that no more could be put in.

"In the northern part, the persecutions have now decreased, but they have

increased in the southern. We have lately heard of the imprisonment of many, and others have been fined and cruelly beaten. That what I say of the severity of Swedish measures against us is no exaggeration, I will show you by a document, which states that, in two small Baptist churches, no less than 1,381 species (about £300) have been paid in fines since the year 1852; and this is the case in many other churches.

"Brother Heidenberg has been eighteen times before courts of law, has suffered imprisonment five times, and been transported between two horses for a very considerable distance.

"I will now tell you of the great and glorious things which have been accomplished. There is everywhere a great desire among the people to hear the word of God. I have often preached to 3,000 in the open air, and even in February 2,000 have assembled in the snow to hear me. But not only have they heard; many have believed in Jesus, and of these many have seen the importance of following their Lord in baptism; 1,500 have been baptized within a short time; 600 already this summer, and I trust many others will shortly follow.

"It is to be regretted, however, that our Christian friends in the State Church have tried to put our work in as bad a light as possible in the eyes of others. Believing preachers have published thirty tracts; and last winter four or five public disputations were held in a church in Stockholm. Although learned men took part in these, the consequence nevertheless was, that many joined us. We had a society consisting of Lutherans and Baptists, for a home mission; but when the wonderful progress of the Baptists was seen by them, they formed another society on the principle of opposing our sentiments. A tract society was also formed in the south; but it so happened that all their colporteurs came over to us. So we have about twenty who work all over the country, besides the pastors of the various churches, and we have all reason to hope the work will go on as it has gone on. Lately some persons of high rank have joined us, and I cannot omit to mention that one nobleman, descended from Gustavus Adolphus, is amongst our brethren in Scania.

"Our work extended to Eland, an island in the Baltic. I went there during the last war, and the Lord blessed his work richly. Now, however, there are great persecutions there. As soon as it became known that persons had been baptized, the police were sent, and they took away all religious books. They are now before the court, and I do not know yet what the result will be. We had some brethren at first who were very zealous for open communion, but now all have seen that it is an inconsistency which does great harm. We have the custom of receiving members by the laying on of hands. We have a confession of faith, somewhat shorter than that published at Hamburg, but much the same in substance.

"Now let me present you the salutations of the brethren. I have not understood much here, but enough to see that we walk in the same way, and have the same Saviour; and thus I hope that, if we do not see each other again here, we shall meet around the throne of the Lamb, and take part in the triumphal song of the redeemed church. Allow me, however, to give you a warning In the course of the conversation here, it has been shown how little has been done; and I beg you more earnestly to work in the Lord. Let me remind you of what you all know, that it is necessary we should work in a right and blessed way, and remain in the vine, Christ. He that walks unrighteously shall be cut off from this vine; and we may be branches in the vine and yet be cut off. We may be in the wedding feast, and not have on the wedding garment. The woman in the Pharisee's house wept the first tears of sorrow for sin, but also of joy. Is sin our heaviest burden? Are Christ and his grace our highest joy? An hour shall come when we must see him. How will it be with us then? We are baptized, and are members of a Christian church, but yet we may not have the true wedding garment. May the truth, therefore, make us truly humble and poor in spirit; but may the Lord also send his Spirit to give the comfort the world cannot give you.

66

Farewell! I have here received impressions which I shall retain to the end of my life. Peace be with you!”

Reviews.

CHRISTMAS BOOKS FOR CHILDREN.

The Coral Islands: a Tale of the Pacific. Ungava: a Tale of Esquimaux Land. Cats and Dogs, Nature's Warriors and God's Workers. The Rambles of a Rat. The Young Pilgrim: a Tale illustrative of the Pilgrim's Progress. The Giant Killer; or, the Battle which all must Fight. Truth is always Best. The Roby Family; or, Battling with the World. Nelson and Sons, London, Edinburgh, and New York.

The Wolf Boy of China. Marion Falconer. The Sunshine of Greystone. Sister Kate. Grace Hamilton's School Days. Binns and Goodwin, Bath; Marlborough, London.

The Coronal; or, Prose, Poetry, and Art. British Water Birds. The Young Envelope Makers. Religious Tract Society.

Self Mastery; or, Kenneth and Hugh. By CATHERINE D. BELL. Edinburgh : W. D. Kennedy.

SOME months ago an article on Literature for Children appeared in our pages, which, if we may judge from the many communications we received respecting it, met with general approval. We there urged the importance of children's books being natural and healthy in sentiment, interesting in style, and religious in aim,-religion not being taught in its dogmatic forms, nor made the subject of direct exhortation, but implied and suggested throughout. The relationship too often subsisting between the tale and the moral in juvenile literature, resembles that between a spoonful of jam and the pill in it, which do not amalgamate the latter being either spit out, or swallowed reluctantly, and under protest. The children's books of the old school had the story by itself, and the good advice was tacked on to the end in the form of two or three awfully dull lines, labelled, for fear of mistake, MORAL, which one might swallow whole, or reject altogether. We are not quite sure whether the modern method is an improvement upon this. Now-a-days the theological pill is, as it were, chopped up, and distributed throughout the attractive vehicle. The result is, that the child is being perpetually pulled up and stopped short in its enjoyment. "To place such books in a child's hands is, in point of fact, supplying him with a bundle of pages of which he skips two out of every three. Children are not to be deceived; they are gifted with a fine tact for detecting dull passages, and are as sure to avoid the hook as to relish the bait." We are persuaded that this constitutes the grand hindrance to the success of the Juvenile Literature of the Religious Tract Society. Not contented with diffusing a religious tone and sentiment throughout their publications, they drag in dogmatic theology in set formal phrase, and make the dose of instruction and exhortation so strong as to overpower the mild flavour of the tale. In the words of a writer in the " Quarterly Review" for December,

1812

"What can interest children more than traits of heroism, generosity, fortitude, or loyalty, which, while they fill their hearts with the healthiest sentiments of admiration and sympathy, serve to bind fast many a scrap of useful knowledge to the memory. But the child's books to which we allude, where an insipid tale goes feebly wriggling through an unmerciful load of moral, religious, and scientific preaching, have been the most abundant product of the present day; not intended, we are assured, for school hours, but with no charm for any other.

In all matters which depend upon voluntary acquisition, children should be taught as though we taught them not. The moment the prescriptive tone peeps out all is over with the young volunteer."

These remarks apply to the volumes before us, rather by way of contrast than of illustration. Children would revel in books like these. We have indeed ocular proof of the fact. Around a table are gathered a group of children, with nimble fingers turning over the leaves of the volumes we have enumerated, whilst their hushed voices and sparkling eyes tell of the deep interest which has been excited. This, after all, is the best test for a book. Put it into the hands of one of that class for whom it is intended, and mark its effect upon him. Why should not the judgment of children be taken upon children's books as well as that of a Cambridge Wrangler upon a mathematical treatise ?

The publications by Messrs. Nelson, which we have placed at the head of the list, are, for the most part, admirable. Ungava and The Coral Island are by Mr. Ballantyne, who has produced several similar volumes. They depend for their interest not so much upon plot as upon vivid and graphic descriptions of Arctic and Tropical life, and the shifts and contrivances of those who have escaped from the conveniences of civilisation. Ungava narrates the adventures of a party of Hudson's Bay fur traders, who, with a lady and little girl, have gone to the far north to establish a trading post on the shores of the Arctic Sea. Whales, bears, seals, icebergs, and Esquimaux, furnish the staple of a very interesting and instructive story. The Coral Island, which narrates the adventures of three youths shipwrecked, and cast ashore upon one of those innumerable islets which stud the Pacific, though very good, is inferior to the former. Jack, Ralph, and Peterkin, talk too finely; and the arrival of a pirate schooner on the coast is altogether too melodramatic. The highly coloured illustrations, however, give this volume a great charm in the eyes of the youngsters. The Rambles of a Rat we think a failure. The idea of a rat describing ivory, indigo, and opium, estimating the quality of tallow annually exported from St. Petersburgh, and professing affection for the whole genus mus, is so utterly incongruous and absurd that we should think children would soon weary of it. Cats and Dogs is a far better book, and one which would be read with equal interest and instruction. We took up the Young Pilgrim, with a strong prejudice against it. Illustrations and Imitations of the Pilgrim's Progress have generally been either ridiculous parodies, or feeble dilutions of it. This tale, however, notwithstanding some hackneyed and some improbable incidents, greatly pleased us, and we are glad to recommend it. The Giant Killer; or, the Battle which all must Fight, we think excellent, both in design and execution. The framework, in which the allegories are set, is very simple. A number of young people, whose defects and excellencies are very well described, are under the tuition of an excellent couple, who narrate to them the battles between the Young Hero and Giants Sloth, Untruth, Selfishness, Hate, &c. The first of these is the shortest, which therefore we select for quotation. It contains an admirable lesson for the new year.

GIANT SLOTH.

"It was the still hour of twilight. The stars had gone out one by one, and a red flush in the east showed where the sun would shortly rise. A knight lay stretched on the mossy ground, his head reclined on a shield, his two-handled sword girt to his side, even in sleep Lis hand rested on the hilt. This was the brave champion Fides, the chosen knight, to whom had been given mighty treasures and a golden crown by the king whom he served. But not yet was he to enter into possession of his riches or to wear his bright crown; hard labours, great dangers lay before him; he was to fight before he might enjoy. So Fides was to pass alone through the enemies' land to slay every giant who might oppose him. His king had