addressed them, drawing lessons from the Christmas gifts, drew their attention to the necessity of accepting the best of all gifts, the gift of God, His Son Jesus Christ.

The distribution of the presents now commenced, and the merriment of the children knew no bounds as they received and compared with one another their various presents from the tree. The presents consisted principally of minor articles of clothing, toys, books, sweets, &c.

When the children had received their allotments from the tree, to crown their happiness, an orange was given to each child, and their beaming faces as they departed betokened that they too had spent a bright and happy Christmas.

Thus was brought to a close a Christmas season, happy and profitable to all concerned, all the workers agreeing that, in endeavouring to make others truly happy, they themselves were not without blessing. Though wearied with the heavy work of the three days, the band of helpers could not separate without

returning thanks to our Heavenly Father for His goodness and

for all the blessings given.

The work carried on at the Strangers' Rest is a very comprehensive one. Meetings to suit all nationalities for sailors are held almost every day throughout the year, and the shop opens for the greater part of the day, so that sailors may enter to read or to write letters.

For the successful carrying on of this branch of the work much more help is needed, whilst for the children, for whom Sunday and week evening classes are held, it is felt desirable that there should be a separate building and a larger staff of teachers.

Gifts, bags, books, tracts, &c., as well as all communications should be addressed to the Hon. Sec., Mr. J. T. Isaac, 163, St. Georges's Street, E.

Prayer for Ireland.

W. and L.

THE fuotim Christir has been signed
HE following letter has been signed by a large number of

In many respects the present condition of things in Ireland appears to demand the earnest and united prayers of all Christian people.

In the first place, there is that widespread spiritual darkness and ignorance of Christ's Gospel which is at the root of every evil, and in the removal of which, by the penetrating beams of the Light of the World, consists our only hope of lasting good.

Then we have the terrible fact of long-continued agricultural and commercial depression, with its far-reaching effects brought home so painfully to all classes of the community, and involving sharp pecuniary trial and strain to many even of the Lord's people. Along with depression, there is the prevalent agrarian crime and disorder, with lawless combinations infringing the rights and liberties, if not endangering the lives and properties, of large numbers of peace-loving subjects, with which successive Governments seem powerless to grapple.

And now, in addition to these sources of anxiety, there comes the political crisis in the kingdom, with a result which causes to all thoughtful persons grave apprehension, certainly of difficulties, and possibly of danger to Ireland, in the coming year.

These are public matters patent to all, but when we turn to the state of the Church of Christ, and to our individual walk. how much there is to mourn and to confess! What want of harmony and love among Christians! What well-kept barriers, what neglected openings to unity! What slackness in the work of rescuing souls from sin here, and hell hereafter! What zeal for worldly gain, what pride and selfishness! What sing of word, of act, of thought! All this and much more of selfcondemnation must be on the consciences of thousands with a loud, prophetic summons to repentance and humiliation, even to the dust before our God (see Neh. i. 4-11).

It may be that God has a purpose of mercy ready to fulfil in the spiritual enfranchisement of this land; or perhaps He would use means for the better dispersion of His Gospel throughout the world (Acts viii. 4), or possibly the coming of the Lord is nigh at hand. In any case we may surely take the present shaking of "things that are made' as our Father's discipline to separate our hearts from earthly things, so that we, receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, may have grace to serve Him acceptably (Heb. xii. 26-29) with a ready acquiescence in His will, whatever it may be.

Shall we not, then, agree together, whether as individuals, in families, or in meetings specially gathered for the purpose, to make our confession before the Throne of Grace, and pray for the restoration of prosperity in this land, for the spread of the knowledge of Christ among its people, and for the sustaining help and deliverance of all who are in circumstances of trial?

It is suggested that in addition to the usual times of prayer a special occasion should be found each day for thus presenting these, our petitions, before God.

And He, who has bidden us to cast all our anxiety on Him, and in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, to make our requests known unto Him, has promised that the peace of God shall guard our hearts in Christ Jesus.

It is proposed (God permitting) to hold Union Meetings for Humiliation and Prayer in reference to the present serious crisis in Ireland in the Leinster Hall, 35, Molesworth Street, Dublin, on Tuesday and Wednesday, January the 12th and 13th, at the hours of one o'clock and seven each day.

Messrs. Moody and Sankey.

:-The

HE Daily Journal of Newburgh, New York, says: Union Convention was in many respects a remarkable demonstration of the religious interest and zeal of our city. Probably as many as four thousand persons went to the Rink last evening, one-fourth of whom were unable to find room in that large building. The services have been characterized throughout by the closest attention on the part of the large audiences. No listless persons were seen in them. There were no sleepers in that extemporized church. The principal interest of course centred at first about the evangelist Moody. But it was soon transferred from the man to his message. His marked characteristic is thorough devotion to his work. He believes with all his soul that everybody needs salvation, and it is his business to persuade men to accept salvation. He does this in what may be described as a business-like way. He is direct and pungent in his appeals. He eschews elegant sentences. He never strains after mere oratorical effect. He pleads as one might be expected to do in the case of a man who was about to throw himself in the way of a railroad train. In his earnestness he throws minor considerations to the winds, and urges instant compliance with the terms of the Gospel. If you wish me to weep," said the ancient writer, "you must yourself be moved. The necessary condition of imparting earnestness and zeal is fulfilled in the case of Moody. He is thoroughly in earnest, and few of those who listen to him remain unsympathetic or fail to catch something of his earnestness. His talks are marked by freshness and vigour. They are not of the stereotyped class. Familiar things take on a new interest as presented by him.

Mr. Moody is also a thorough believer in practical morality. He insists as strenuously upon the injunction "Let him that stole, steal no more,' as upon the exhortation to "believe and be saved." He scorches the dishonest and the impure with his denunciations. His teaching is calculated to make men better citizens. Men like Ward and Fish get no more mercy from him than the thievish tramp. The Divine law of purity is enforced by him as strongly as the exercise of faith. The old sarcasm about taking a tract instead of a loaf of bread to the starving is pointless in the presence of Moody's preaching and practice. Were the principles which he urges lived up to, Communism would be a meaningless cry in the world to-day. With him, implicit faith and practical benevolence go hand in hand. Such preaching cannot fail to do good. It will send the wellto-do into the cellars and garrets of misery on errands of mercy. Human sympathy will be reawakened into beneficent activity by the fervid appeals of this thoroughly earnest man.

Mr. Geo, C, Needham,

HIS evangelist has just closed a five weeks' mission in Moody for four days, and which was attended by great crowds. Mr. Needham preached over sixty sermons, in fourteen different pulpits, and had ready access to thousands of persons. He evidently has one hobby, namely, to make the Bible so emphatic that the hearer is convinced that he, at least, is a thorough believer in its Divine origin and inspiration. The congregations were large and enthusiastic. Not only were sinners won to Christ, but numbers of church members professed conversion; their wearied feet at last being led to stand on the unchanging truth and promise of God, The evangelist struck home blows at three false refuges into which many secluded souls enter for salvation-namely, culture, morality, and feeling. He fully explained their proper relations to the Christian, but as substitutes for Christ and Scripture he dealt with them unsparingly. The confessions and testimonies of many who were led out of mist into sunshine clearness were truly gratifying. The evangelist goes next to Newburgh, N.Y., thence C. to New York City, Baltimore, and the South.

Pioneers of the Gospel.

A Bishop Captured in Central Africa.

EEP interest has been felt by many in the heroic enterprise

one hand the C. M.S., on another the L.M.S. and the Presbyterian, and on the Congo the Baptist Mission and the Livingstone Inland Mission. Doubtless also many have followed with interest the labours of Bishop Hannington, and such will learn with sympathetic concern that, as telegraphed from Zanzibar on January 1st. Bishop Hannington, who left Mombasa in June last in order to find, if possible, a new road to the Victoria, which will obviate the long detour by Unyanyembe, has been seized by order of the King within two days' march of Uganda. The latest report is that the King has given secret orders to have the Bishop executed. The expedition under Dr. Fischer has arrived at Kagei.

It may be added that it is some months since any direct news was obtained by the family from the Bishop himself, but through the medium of the Church Missionary Society's agents his wife, who lives at Hurst, lately learned that her husband was in danger owing to the jealousy of the King of Uganda; in fact, the Bishop, whilst attempting to effect his journey by the new route, was informed that the King had despatched a hostile party to stop his progress. In consequence of this he had to retrace his steps in order to continue his journey by the old route.

[From the C. M. S. offices we learn that no confirmation has been received of the above; and that, in fact, the secretaries are hopeful it is but a rumour.]

THE

In a Corsican Prison.

THE following extracts from a letter just received from our evangelist in the interior of Corsica may interest your readers, and, I hope, enlist more the sympathy of the Christian public in a peasantry so entirely neglected and steeped in ignorance and superstition. We are unable, from lack of funds, to respond to the appeal of our agents for more extended operations. Contributions for the mission in the interior of Corsica will be received and acknowledged by the Treasurer, Mr. Donald Matheson, 120, Queen's Gate, S.W., or by the undersigned.

Corte, Christmas Day, 1885. Permission was granted on Christmas Eve to go to the prison here with some food for the prisoners. It was a trifling action, but as no one else ever thought of the prisoners, and I am an Englishman, it went a long way as a fact. Of course it permitted me to say some words à propos, and opened the way to returning. The prison is a veritable dungeon; the cells are underground, and the light reaching them is of the faintest by day, and at night (it was dusk when I went) the only light is a wick dimly burning in a glass of oil, in a cell containing ten men. There are six of these cells, with about ten prisoners in each.

Not one of those incarcerated were there for any crime. It was a case of poor fellows who could not pay their rent, or guilty of contravention of the slightest kind; and all of the men were peasants, and of a bright, honest, pleasant countenance.

My Christmas Eve was spent, after returning from the prison (first teaching my boy attendant: I give him every evening Scripture instruction), visiting a dying girl of seventeen, at the wish of her parents, who are friends of my landlady. I sought to direct her thoughts and looks to Christ, and I could realize that she was intently listening. She said she understood, but I fear she understood my Italian better than the simple truth of our salvation by the blood of the cross; yet I am quite assured that the women, of whom there were seven in the room, were all deeply moved by what I said of the urgency of our yielding our life to Christ, to be filled with His Spirit, for I was asked to return, which I did later in the evening, when I spoke in French, which some of the women said the sick girl understood almost better than Italian. I then prayed, and, overcome with emotion, withdrew. In the intense love which the Lord has granted me for souls, I feel some of His ceaseless tenderness for us. Such an unhealthy place is Corte at present. Doubtless if the municipality should, now that the railway is nearly completed from Ajaccio to Corte, and Corte to Bastia, carry out proposed measures, the place may become healthy, but intermittent fever is the rule, and not the exception now.

And now to return to the question of the sick here. The poor, and even the less-poor, do very little or nothing for the sick, but give them up as a bad job; the doctor is rarely sent for, and the illness, which is, perhaps, but a trifle, becomes aggra

JANUARY 7, 1886.

vated. I do hope that my plain truth-speaking may lead to an earnest effort to do all that can be done for these poor people Oh, how much there is to be done on the face of the earth to lessen the woe of the sufferers! Well may our hearts burn within us, and our impotence oppress us.

J. CECIL BERGER (Hon. Sec.) Sion House, Lower Clapton, E., Dec. 31st, 1885.

TH

Intolerance in Turkey.

HE Secretaries of the Evangelical Alliance write:- A short time ago a deputation was received at the Foreign Office, from the Council of the Evangelical Alliance, for the presenta. tion of a memorial to the Marquis of Salisbury upon religious intolerance in Turkey.

One of the cases mentioned in the memorial to Lord Salisbury is that of a Turkish professor and fifteen of his pupils, who, having embraced Christianity, wero arrested and imprisoned without any charge being brought against them. Indirect communication was maintained with some of these men for a few months, but now they have wholly disappeared; and, notwithstanding urgent inquiries made of Turkish officials, all trace of the missing men has been lost. There is also the case of the Nusariyeh tribe. A number of this people have become converts to the Christian faith, but, owing to the despotic action of the Governor of Damascus, they were classed as Moslems in a recent census, the result being that some of these Christians havebeen drafted into the Turkish army. Although they do not object to serve as soldiers, they are compelled to observe the ceremonies of the Moslem religion, and do not enjoy the freedom guaranteed to Christians. There are further cases, such as the closing of Protestant places of worship in some provinces, and the impossibility of obtaining permission to build schools; but we will not trouble you with details upon these and other points.

It will thus be seen that the Evangelical Alliance is not in the position of those who are seeking an alteration of the Turkish law, but of those who claim its fulfilment. The British and foreign branches of the Alliance are endeavouring to bring influence to bear upon their respective Governments so that representations may be made, unitedly, by several of the Protestant embassies at the Porte. It is gratifying to know that the British and American ministers have already taken steps in the matter.

There

LIST OF FORTHCOMING MEETINGS.

The Evangelization Society is prepared to send qualified Evangelist a to any part of England, Scotland, and Wales upon due notice. Apply to Hon. Secretary, 21, Surrey Street, Strand, W.C. Y.M.C.A. (81), Gracechurch Street Branch.-Prayer Meeting, 1.80 to 2.15 p.m. (Sat. ex). Bible Study, Tues., 6.15 p.m. Soldiers, Fri., 7 p.m. Workers', Mon., 6.30 p.m. Service of Song with Gospel address (for adults), Lambeth Ragged Schools, Fri., at 8 Services p.m. at Y.M.C.A. Mission Hall, Melior St., S.E., nightly, 8 p.m. Gospel Temperance Addresses at George Yard, Whitechapel, Mon., 8.15 p.m. Classes for rough lads, Mon. and Thurs,, at 8 p.m. Rev. E. Payson Hammond's Forthcoming Missions are: Camden Road Presbyterian Church, 2nd Jan. to 8th Jan.; Kingston-onThames, 9th Jan. to 22nd Jan.; Mrs. Meredith's Conference Hall, Clapham, 23rd Jan. to 5th Feb.; Finsbury Park Y.M.C.A., 6th Feb. to 19th Feb. Hampstead Presbyterian Church, 20th Feb. to 5th March; Richmond, 6th March to 19th March.

Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington Butts, S.E.-Mrs. Allison will give a series of Bible Readings every Sunday afternoon at three o'clock. All are heartily invited.

Mr. Gawin Kirkham's engagements for January :-7, Woodford; 9, Mildmay Park; 12. Sydenham; 16, 17, 18, Winchester; 19, Eastleigh; 20, Netley; 21. Basings oke; 22. Westminster; 25, Aldersgate Street; 26, Southend; 27, King's Cross; 28, Exeter Hall. Y.M.C.A., Exeter Hall-Special meetings for men only, every night at 8, conducted by Rev. Dr. Morris. Address to men only, Sunday afternoon, at 3.30, by Mr. A. Burson. Gospel service Sunday night, at 7, conducted by Mr. Pericles Green. Y.M.C.A., 186, Aldersgate Street.-Sunday, a t 3.15 p.m., conversational Bible class; at 7 p.m., Gospel meeting. Thursday, at 7 p.m., missionary prayer meeting; at 8 p.m., Bible lecture, by Dr. Robert Anderson. Children's Special Service Mission. Mr. W. F. Seagrove and Mr. Seyler at Upton Chapel Sunday School, Lambeth Road, S.E., Jan. 11th to 15th, at 7.30 p.m. Mr. Arrowsmith, at Clifton, Jan. 14th to 24th; at Margate, Feb. 20th to Mar. 7th. Mr. Banaster, at St. Thomas's Schools, Stafford, Jan. 4th to 10th at Knutsford, from Jan. 14th. Mr. H. M. Trickett, at Oldham, Jan. 9th to 15th; Mr. Spiers, in London, assisting Mr. Hammond.

Mildmay Conference Hall.-Sunday, Jan. 10th, 1886, at 8.30, Mr. P. 8. Badenoch; at 7 p.m., Rev. P. Carmichael, M.A., of Park Church. Mildmay Mission to the Jews.-Rev. J. Wilkinson's Bible Readings in Ezekiel every Wednesday evening, at 7.30, in the Ladies' Waiting Room, Conference Hall, Mildmay, N.

Youths' Institute, Old Pye Street, Westminster ("One

Tun

Mission).-Prayer meeting every Wednesday from 1 to 1.30. Conducted by Mr. J. Payne. Gospel mission service every Sunday evening from 6.30 to 8.

St. George's Hall, Langham Place, W.-During January, Mr. Denham Smith, Sun., 11 and 7, and Wed., at Burlington Hall, at 8 p.m. House of Res, 8, Cambridge Gardens, Kilburn Park, N.W.-Friday, Jan. 8th, at 3 p.m., address by Rev. J. Denham Smith; evening meeting at 7. Tea at 5.30. Sunday, 10th, at 3.30 p.m.. "God's Men in the Old Testament," by Miss Mason. All meetings open to the public. Upper Norwood, Safford Hous, Tador Road. - Drawing-room and young women's meetings every Thursday at 3 and 7 p.m. Evangelistic Mission (Under the direction of C. Russe!! Hurditch).Kilburn Hall. Kilburn Gate (not Town Hall).-Mr. W. Grove, Sun., at 7 p.m., and Wed., at 7.30 p.m.

Malden Hall, Kentish Town.-Mr. Geo. Hucklesby, Sun., at 7 p.m, and Thurs., at 8 p.m.

Twelfth anniversary, Thursday, Jan. 14th, at 4 and 6 p.m. Dalston Lane, 103A.-Mr. S. E. Angel, Sunday, 7 p.m., and Thursday, 8 p.m.

Bignold Hall, Bignold Road. Station Road, Forest Gate.-Dr. Pop-
ham, Sunday, 7 p.m., and Wed., 8 p.m.

West Kensington Hall (known as Cadby Hall), Hammers nith
Road, West Kensington.-Dr. Popham, Sunday, at 3; Mr. C.
Russell Hurditch, Sun., 7 p.m.

Hammersmith, Upper Mission Room, 130, King Street,-
Messrs. Russell and Brothers (service for the young) on Sunday, at
7 p.m; Dr. Popham, Thursday, 8 p.m.
Mortlake, Fest Mission Hall.-Sunday, 7 p.m.
Trinity Presbyterian Church, Kensington Park Road.-Dr. H.
Sinclair Paterson, Sundays at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Belgrave Presbyterian Church (Halkin Street, W.).-Rev. Adolph
Saphir, Sundays at 11 a.m.

Barbican Mission to the Jews. -6, Farleigh Road, Stoke Newington, N. (within 10 minutes by tram from Dalston Junction), Mr. Warschawski's Bible Readings in Isaiah, the Second Monday in each month, at 8.30 p.m.. tes at 4.30 p.m.

Zenana and Medical Mission School and Home, 58, St. George's Road, 8.W.-Bible reading with Prayer every Saturday at noon, at which Miss Nugent and Mrs. Orchard kindly preside. Clapton Hall, Alkham Road, Cazenove Road, Upper Clapton.-Sundays, 6.30, Fridays, 7.30.

Strangers' Rest, 163. St. George's Street, Rateliff Highway, E-Monthly workers' meeting, Friday, January 8th, 1885, tea at 6, meeting at7; special praise and prayer; Henry A. Mandeville, Esq. (late Lieut. R.N.), will give a New Year's address.

Camden Town Y.M.CA., Camden Road, N.W.-Special addresses to young men, by Mr. C. Russell Hurdith, on Sunday, Jan. 10th, at 3.15; Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 11th and 12th, at 8.30, and on following n ghts by Mr. Henry Bowker. Y.W.C.A.-Meetings for bus'ness young ladies every Tuesday evening, at 9.15 in the Mall Hall, High Street, Notting Hill; Jan. 12th, Mrs. Ormiston Chant.

JANUARY 7, 1886.

ST. GILES' CHRISTIAN MISSION. FRIENDLESS AND FALLEN.

EAST LONDON MISSION.

LONDON CITY MISSION (PUBLIC-HOUSE)."

L. L.
Christmas thanksgiving

DINNERS TO POOR.

EVANGELISTIC MISSION (CHRISTMAS APPEAL).

ΑΤ

(Per C. R. H.)

The Bible in the Far East.

T the monthly meeting of the Western Board of the National Bible Society of Scotland, held recently in Glasgow, Mr. J. W. Wilson was presented with an illuminated minute on his leaving the society's service in China, to enter that of the London Missionary Society. Mr. Wilson has for upwards of seven years occupied an important position in the western province of Sze-Chuen. For some months he lived in the capital, Ching-tu, a solitary European among a million of Chinese. He has carried the Scriptures to almost every city and town in the province, having been in many cases the first missionary the people had seen and heard. The issues from the society's Central China Agency for the past year were reported to have far exceeded those made over all China in any former year. Upwards of one hundred thousand copies, chiefly Gospels, had been sent out. In connection with this agency alone, thirty-two native colporteurs, directed by twenty-six missionaries in eight different provinces, had been engaged. This expansion of work in China was largely due to the society's publication of the Revised Wen-li Testament, of which a complete copy was on the table. The Directors agreed to purchase a printing press and plant in order to enable their agent at Hankow to meet the growing demand for this edition.

Mr. Burnet, of Ching-Kiang, reported a journey of nine hundred miles through the province of Ngan-Whuy. He had sold the entire stock of Scriptures he had taken out. Mr. Murray, of Peking, reported a journey into Mongolia, during which he visited two of the great annual festivals, and disposed of five thousand Mongol and Chinese Scriptures. The demand for the Bible in Japan was reported to be increasing, the applications for the Japanese Pocket Testament being more numerous than could be met. In view of such opportunities in China, Japan, Corea, and India, as well as with the hope of, in due time, pressing into Burmah, the Directors remitted to the Finance Committee to consider what steps should be taken to raise a special fund to enable the society to maintain and extend its work in those countries, in some more adequate

measure.

Far-reaching Influence.-An agent of the International Y.M.C.A. Committee was sent to the capital city of a SouthWestern State to raise funds and start an association. A wealthy banker took him into his house, aided him in every way, and said, "I will give one-fifth of the amount raised from the entire community, and I would rather that it should be large than small." The necessary funds were raised, rooms opened, and a secretary installed. Now for the secret of the banker's interest. His son had been sent to a school in Boston, one thousand eight hundred miles away. There he found a delightful Christian home and resort in the Young Men's Christian Association, and a warm, helpful friend in the secretary. Appreciating this, his father made grateful return for it by his liberal gift to the Young Men's Christian Associa tion in his own city, which in turn will help and bless the sons of many other men.

DIMNESS OF SIGHT AND BLINDNESS are frequently caused by the use of unsuitable Spectacles. The Rev. Dr. Orowther, Hill House, Ascot, writes:-"I cannot describe the comfort I derive from the use of your glasses, both by day and night. I find no pain or weariness as I used to; and I have taken to reading books I had put aside as too trying for the eyes on account of the smallness of the type." The lat Sir Julius Benedict wrote:-" I have tried the principal opticians in London without success, but the spectacles you have adapted suit admirably; the clearness of your glasses as compared with others is really surprising. The Rev. R. H. Baynes, M. A., Hon. Ca 100 Worcester Cathedral, write::-"The spectacles you adapted are all I could desire, and my eyes feel strong already. I only regret I did not know of your exceeding skill years ago.-Mr. HENRY LAURANCE, F.8.8., Oculist Optician, la, OLD BOND STREET, scientifically adapts his IMPROVED SPECTACLEP to assist and strengthen the weakest sights. Damnblat containing sug: gestions for the preservation of sight free. BRANCHES, 6. Poultry, E.C.; 3. Guardian Buildings, Cross Street, MANCHESTEP and Corporation Street, BIRMINGHAM-ADYT.