other and to the world outside them. In all but Western Polynesia the Gospel has swept this heathenism away. Beautiful as were these lands by nature, culture has rendered them more lovely still. Everywhere the white chapel and school have taken the places of the heathen marai. The trim cottage which Christianity gave them peeps everywhere from its nook of leaves. Land and people are Christian now. The victories of peace have taken the place of war. Resources have multiplied, wealth has begun to accumulate. Books, knowledge, order, and law rule these communities. Large churches have been gathered, schools flourish, good men and women are numerous.

WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.-The report of this society, the annual meeting of which was held on the 3rd of May, in Exeter Hall, states that the Irish mission employed 28 missionaries, and numbered 2137 members. In the French mission there were 29 ministers, and 1899 members. In Germany the society had 11 ministers and 1784 members. In Italy two English ministers and one Italian, 18 preaching places, 23 day - school teachers, 643 scholars, and 596 members. In Ceylon and continental India the society employed 32 European missionaries, 32 native, and 31 catechists, and supported 183 day-schools, attended by 8025 scholars. In China the missionaries occupied two of the most important positions in the south and in the centre of the empire. The missions in South Africa occupied a vast country, extending from the Cape to Port Natal. The total home and foreign receipts amounted to £149,371. The income of the year covered the expenditure, and left a balance of £4738. towards the reduction of the excess of expenditure over receipts of former years.

PRIMITIVE METHODIST MISSIONS.This connexion, which was missionary in origin, aim, and labours at home, in the colonies, and abroad, had now 155,247 souls within her pale, being an increase of 844 members during the past year. The total number of mission stations at present was 113; missionaries, 181; members, 14,117. The general missionary committee was organised in 1843, and during twenty years the total number of circuits it had made in missions at home and in the colonies was 45, with 73

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ministers and 9,249 members. they reported, owing to the success realised by those new circuits, 93 ministers and 10,521 members, being an increase of 1,272 members. To sustain and extend the missionary work under the care of the General Missionary Committee, the total sum during the year which had been realised was £11,034., including Conference grants; and the balance of £2,820., made a total of £13,854. The expenditure was £12,313., leaving a balance of £1,541.

CONGREGATIONAL UNION.-The Congregational body is professedly independent of any general action on the part of the entire community, their theory of church government being that of the entire independency of each congregation. This theory is one incapable of perfect accomplishment. Small societies naturally look to larger ones for assistance. Ministers of commanding talents exercise a large influence over extensive districts, and the entire body has found it desirable to institute a general assembly in which to deliberate on matters pertaining to the order, progress, and prosperity of their societies, or, as they prefer to designate them, churches. This assembly meets twice in each year. The first meeting was this year held at the Weigh-house Chapel, London, and commenced its session on the 12th of May. It is the custom of the Union to elect the chairman before-hand, and the proceedings are invariably opened by an address of usually considerable length and great ability from the chair. This year the chairman, Rev. Dr. Raleigh, selected as the subject of his address, "Christianity and modern progress." "We cannot fail," he said, "to be aware-every educated person knows-that the present relations between things spiritual and natural are, to say the least, uneasy; that the mutual attitude is apprehensive and distrustful; that the notes of war even are heard,-words of warning, anger, pity, passing from camp to camp; the theologian ready enough, perhaps, to insinuate the charge of ungodliness against the scientific or political fellowlabourer, in a case where a clear argument addressed simply to the reason of man for God and His truth would be much more apposite and effectual; the man of science ready enough on his part to put his theological brother, with his

terms, distinctions, doctrines, up among the fossils, as a man who really has nothing to say to the culture and progress, the hunger and thirst of a living age." Dr. Raleigh seeks to offer, therefore, terms of conciliation and mutual agreement between the conflicting parties. These he seeks in the first place by the mutual acceptance of the acknowledged facts of science and of religion, the interpretation of these facts being, to a large extent, left to the individual judgment. The facts of science are to be accepted by the teachers of religion, the facts of revelation by the teachers of science. Doubt necessitates inquiry and investigation, and cannot remain "honest doubt" where this is neglected. Another point of contact and ground of agreement is found in the "abstract realm of law." "Revealed religion and natural knowledge meet in continuous agreement along the whole line of law. Modern science is a system of law. So is evangelical religion. The invariabilities of nature are matched by the regularities of grace." In the discussion of this part of his address, the speaker insists on the action of fixed laws in the incipiency, dawn, and progress of the regenerate life. Metaphysically considered, there must be, in each case, a turning point, a moment of decision, known or unknown to the person. But it still is true that the beginnings of all life are hidden from us. 'We know not the way of the spirit.' What we observe is this, that life-even spiritual life in such cases-comes by law." And he concludes this section in these words :"My brethren, I am increasingly persuaded that the dispensation of the Gospel is not a system of excitements and surprises, and mysterious preferences, and selections of some who are taken from others who are left; but that, as a system-as a rational and spiritual system of truth and influenceit is the meet instrument of Him is no respecter of persons,' 'who desireth not the death of any sinner,' 'who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.' Other grounds of agreement are found in "the whole realm of natural ethics, full of powers, instincts, sensibilities, which are all operating in the direction of human advancement," and in "the region of social sympathy and practical

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benevolence." In discussing the power of these evidences, he combats the statement of Buckle, "that the world is indebted solely to the intellectual, and not at all to the moral principle in man, for all the progress it has hitherto made.” And in the second part he gives an eloquent description of some of the benevolent movements of the age, and of the influence of Christianity on modern progress.

This address, expressed throughout in vigorous and eloquent language, was received on its delivery as an oracle, and spoken of in the most laudatory terms. Its publication exposed it to closer criticism, and its concessions and statements were not permitted to pass unchallenged. In a review in the "English Independent," the reviewer objected to the statement that there are mistakes and errors in the Bible, and still more emphatically to the subordinating of the apostolic epistles to the Gospel.

To these criticisms Dr. Raleigh thought it necessary to reply; and in a letter to the editor of the "English Independent" he says, in reference to his statements respecting the Bible-"I have come to think that I might have said something like this. When speaking of the agency of 'fallible men,' I might have said— and perhaps, all things considered, I ought to have said that, despite the 'errors and mistakes' which are natural, and, without continual miracle, inevitable, there is yet an infallible, or at any rate a certain and sufficient communication to the world of the mind and will of God." But the reviewer's gravest objection related to doctrine, and to this Dr. Raleigh devotes the principal portion of his letter:-"My reviewer," he says, "takes ground which I cannot take,which I regard, in fact, as logically destructive alike of Protestant liberty and rational faith. He says I have 'made a somewhat vain expenditure of needless concessions, in order to win men who ought to be encountered with the demand for submission to Divine authority.' I can only stand in astonishment on reading such a sentence. What is the Divine authority here, and where does it lie? In the Book? or in one's own particular interpretation of the Book? I may be wrong, but the writer really seems to say the latter, at least by implication; for suppose some of the

men thus challenged should say to him, 'We take the Book, but we give it our own interpretation, which differs considerably from yours: are we submissive to Divine authority?' As I understand, he would answer-No, you must take certain explanations along with the facts; you must take the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians in a certain sense, on peril of perdition.' As a matter of fact, we all know that such demands are made on every side, and, so far as I see, no good comes of them. I am very sure they are utterly inexpedient in the case in hand. Is not this the very tone that is so justly offensive to men of culture? What can we do, after all, but set forth the truth as we understand it, with all confidence as those who have unwavering faith in it?" And he concludes his letter in these words "If it is meant that the Puritan standpoint is to be ours, without variation or adaptation to living men and present needs, I can only say that I believe this would be on our part tantamount to giving up the England of the future, in which, if we are wise and ready, we may play so great a part."

ROMAN CATHOLICISM.-The predominant feature of the Papacy is the love of dominion by the things of the church. That this spirit continues to live in her is sometimes made strikingly evident. The correspondent of the London "Guardian" furnishes an evidence of it, in an account of a remarkable article in the "Civilta Cattolica," which may be regarded as the official doctrinal organ of the Papacy. "A temporal prince," says this authority, "may be sovereign, in a certain sense; but it by no means follows from thence that his sovereignty is not subordinate to an authority of a higher order, such as the spiritual power. Non est potestas nisi à Deo. (Rom. xiii. 1.) Gallicans and Royalists pervert the sense of this text, and apply it to the independence of the civil power. But such an error is refuted by the words that follow:-Qua sunt potestates, à Deo ordinatæ sunt, and which the doctors of the church and the greatest theologians have interpreted in the sense that there must be two powers, the civil and ecclesiastic, and that there must be relations between these powers. But it would be absurd to suppose that the ecclesiastical power should be subservient to the civil, because that would be to reverse the natural order of things.

Nothing remains, therefore, but the contrary rule: which is, that the temporal power be subservient to the spiritual: just as the body is to the soul. It is necessary, therefore, that he who possesses sovereign power to govern temporally should be directed by the Roman Pontiff, who is placed by God at the head of the church, and appointed supreme master and guardian of the truth, and of the immutable rules of justice." The article goes on to declare, once more, that the Roman Pontiffs have pronounced "all liberty of public worship, liberty of the press," to be "madness, poison, pestilence;" that nothing of the kind could exist which was not in itself "an immoderate, pernicious, and deadly thing." Such is still, then, the spirit of the Papacy. That it is losing its hold on the minds of culture and progress, in the nations which have been long subject to its sway, is becoming more and more manifest. The following remarks, on this subject, occur in the report of the

EVANGELICAL CONTINENTAL SOCIETY. Ten years ago the brethren in France were greatly hindered in their work by the opposition of government officials; last year they enjoyed full liberty to make known the gospel within the inclosure of the Universal Exhibition, and in the presence of the highest authorities of the government they were enabled to carry on various evangelistic labours. In addition to the good accomplished, they found substantial guarantees for the liberty they now enjoy, and a good hope of increased liberty in the future. Ten years ago religious liberty was very imperfectly understood in Continental Piedmont, and now it is the right of all Italian citizens, Romans excepted. The events of last year have clearly defined the rights of Protestants, and the impartial administration of justice in the case of the Barletta rioters has made it manifest that, so far as the government and the legal authorities are concerned, the statute which guarantees the rights of conscience will not remain a dead letter, and that the priests will not be allowed with impunity to wage war against those who accept the gospel message and quit the Church of Rome.

In Austria the power of the priest has been limited by constitutional government, and the declaration of one of the ministers of state, that all citizens

are entitled to liberty in religious matters, encourages the hope that the Protestants of that empire will speedily regain their vigour, and shine as lights upon all around them.

SAN FRANCISCO.-We have received a communication from the secretary of the society of the New Church in the above city, from which we learn that Mr. John Doughty, "a son of the late Rev. Charles Doughty, the first regular minister of the New York society, and who continued actively engaged in the duties of the ministry for twenty-six years, and until the time of his decease," had been elected their minister, and ordained by them to the office of the ministry, apart from the instructions or coöperation of the General Convention. An accompanying document gives at length the reasons for this action on the part of the society; these reasons relating partly to the local circumstances of the society, as their distance from other societies and ministers of the New Church, and partly from peculiar views of church discipline and the most appropriate modes of introduction into the office of the ministry. Into these particulars it is not necessary that we should enter in the pages of this magazine. The members of the New Church in England will always respect the liberty of their brethren in America, and will cheerfully leave to them the adoption of such modes of ecclesiastical order as may, in their judgment, be most conducive to their prosperity. From the letter of the secretary we learn that "Mr. Doughty commenced his ministerial duties in January, 1867. During the first year of his officiating, fifteen new members were added to the society, making its present membership fifty-four. Our usual attendance at morning service, when he commenced, was from thirty to thirty-five; it has now increased to from ninety to one hundred and twenty-five, with every indication of our eventually establishing a large and prosperous society. In October and November last he delivered a course of Sunday evening lectures. They were all well attended, and did much to build up our society. Our usual attendance during those lectures from 175 to 250. We have a Sabbath School of 42 scholars, which meets directly after the close of the morning

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service, and great interest is felt in the same by the teachers and pupils. We have also a library of 360 volumes, for the purpose of loaning books to inquirers, which is doing much good. A complete set of Swedenborg's works in Latin and English was kindly presented by the London Swedenborg Printing and Publishing Society, through the instrumentality of Mr. Francis Hobler. There is also a small library connected with the Sabbath School, which we are enlarging as fast as our means will permit. An arrangement has been made with a leading book establishment to keep a full supply of New Church works for sale. Our church is capable of seating 300 persons, which, together with the ground, cost 12,000 dollars, all paid for. It may be interesting to add that two of our most active male members commenced their education at the New Church School, in Charles-street, Westminsterroad, when it was first started under the superintendence of Mr. Granger, and one of our female members attended the New Church at Shoemakers'-row, then under the charge of the Rev. Mr. Sibley.

SWEDENBORG SOCIETY.-We have received an interesting report of the annual meeting of this society, which the crowded state of our columns compels us to postpone until next month.

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SCOTLAND.-VISIT OF REV. J. F. POTTS, B.A, TO COATBRIDGE.-On Thursday evening, May 14th, I visited Coatbridge, and delivered a lecture in the Temperance Hall, on "Swedenborg and his Doctrines." This was the first of a short course of lectures the National Missionary Society had arranged to be delivered there. The above title was the general name for the course; the special subject on this occasion being Jesus, the All in All." Coatbridge is an important and rising town about ten miles from Glasgow, and on the line of the Caledonian Railway from Carlisle to Glasgow. Travellers from the south must well remember the striking spectacle of the rows of immense blast furnaces, which represent the manufacture to which Coatbridge owes its rise. Coatbridge is, in fact, the Wolverhampton of Scotland, and those who are familiar with the aspect of the "black country" of Staffordshire will easily form a very true conception of the character of this new field of missionary operation. The

lecture had been well advertised in the local papers and by means of small posters, and the attendance was encouraging if not numerous. Close attention was paid to the arguments advanced, and after the lecture several questions were asked in reference to passages of Scripture which did not appear to harmonise with the New Church doctrine of the Lord. I replied to these all at once, and made my reply final, lest I should be drawn into a useless disputation. On leaving home I had made up a parcel of books, besides the usual supply of tracts. These were arranged on a table near the door, and taken charge of by one of our friends, being offered at trade prices. There were sold by this means-two copies of Noble's Appeal," one of Giles' "Nature of Spirit," and one "Gems from Swedenborg." The tracts were all gladly taken, and more could have been usefully given away if I had had them.

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I visited Coatbridge for the second time on Tuesday, May 19th, and gave a lecture on the subject, "Scripture in Relation to Science." On my way from Glasgow I stayed at Gartcosh, and remained there during the afternoon at the house of Mr. Elvin, a New Churchman, who is the manager of an iron and steel rolling mill at that place. Gartcosh is situated in the middle of that bare and undulating country on the east of Glasgow, which is so rich in its subterranean products, and the place consists merely of the mill and those connected with it. It was pleasant to find an intelligent New Churchman stationed at this quiet spot in a position of so much influence, and evidently making the principles of the New Church of practical value in their applications to an important manufacture.

In the evening I proceeded to Coatbridge, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Elvin and their eldest son, and found all in readiness for the lecture. A good audience assembled, which was a decided improvement upon the previous one; close and intelligent, and even kind attention was paid to the lecture, and at its close a few questions were easily replied to. I was told by our friends resident there, that the presentation of our cardinal doctrine on my previous visit to Coatbridge had excited much inquiry, and had found a good deal of

acceptance. Earnest wishes were expressed to me to go again in the autumn. I much regretted that the effort could not be at once followed up, and the iron hammered whilst hot; but it appears that it is now too late, as the summer festivities have already commenced. However, it is to be hoped that the supply of tracts which are now doing their quiet work in the town, will keep the interest alive until one of our missionary societies again can see its way for further operations.

ST. HELIERS, JERSEY.-A course of Biblical lectures and discourses has been delivered at St. Heliers by Mr. Gunton, extending from May 24th to June 9th. The course included six discourses on the three Sundays, and five week-day evening lectures. The attendance at these services was from 60 to 100. The "Jersey Express" gave four notices of the lectures, all commendatory, and strongly recommending them to the public attention. The following, which appeared the day preceding the commencement of the course, could only proceed from a very friendly writer:"The importance of the questions to be discussed in the course laid down in the programme-some of them being closely connected with those now shaking the existing Christian church in its very foundations-should induce all thoughtful persons, earnest in the pursuit of truth, and ready to accept it from whatever quarter it may come, to attend this course of lectures and discourses, from which they cannot fail to derive new and unexpected light on the momentous subjects to be treated, even if they cannot fall in with all the lecturer's conclusions."

The following notice appeared of the first week's services, and was followed by similar notices of the succeeding discourses:-"The subject of the morning's discourse, Sunday, May 23rd, was 'The Birth of the Lord Jesus.' The discourse was intended to show the personal identity of Jesus with the Everlasting Father,' (Isa. ix. 6.) and the true nature of his work, which was, the lecturer contended, to save his people, not from the wrath of another Divine Person, but from their sins.' The subject which had been selected for the evening's discourse was The parable of the Sheep and the Goats.' (Matt. xxv. 21, to the end.) The profound attention paid to