knowing, as I do, the circumstances of danger and alarm into which they have been occasionally thrown.

I feel sure that this suggestion will have your candid consideration; and trusting that you will be enabled

speedily to carry it into practice, I remain, Gentlemen, Faithfully yours,

W. CARUS WILSON. Casterton Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale, January 1st, 1846.

CHURCH MISSIONARY

SOCIETY.

We hope our readers never fail to read the Church Missionary Record, and other documents issuing periodically from the press, whose object it is to detail the operations of Missionary efforts abroad. And yet we fear there is great irregularity and remissness in this respect. But how can we tell the signs of the times, and how can we be duly stimulated to our duty, if we listen not to the report of our Christian watchmen ?

Every eye should be turned at this moment to the movements in China. It is astonishing what a sudden transformation has taken place in that country not that conversions are rapidly occurring, but barriers are suddenly broken down which effectually prevented all Christian effort; and our Church Missionaries, and the American, and Baptist, and London Missionaries can speak as they please, and traverse the interior, and circulate the Scriptures and Tracts, not only without molestation, but with grateful acceptance.

We long to give copious extracts from the Church Missionary Record for November, but as it is in the hands, probably, of most of our readers, and within the reach of all, we must entreat that not one reader of this paper will forego the benefit and delight of its perusal.

To say nothing of the claims of the rest of the world, never must we rest satisfied until we see an energy in England of Christian benevolence commensurate with the claims of this immense empire; never must we think that we have risen to the proper

standard of our duty till we put into our Missionary, and Bible, and Tract institutions, the means for supplying every call. We cannot withhold from our readers the concluding remarks of our missionary in China, Mr. Smith:

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'Such, then, are the hopes and prospects to incite us onward: and, oh, that Britain may rise to the emergency, and nobly enter on this work! Where can talents the most brilliant, and piety the most fervent, find a fairer scope for their exercise than on these fields white unto the harvest? If the vastness of the work, the amount of difficulty, the mighty results to be expected, and the encouragements which mingle in the prospect, can stamp on any work the impress of true glory, then that undertaking is the attempt to diffuse the Gospel among the three hundred and sixty millions of China. The attempt itself knows nothing to equal it in past undertakings. The Great Wall of China -the Pyramids of Egypt-the discovery of a new hemisphere-sink into insignificance in the comparison with the attempt to demolish the speculative atheism and debasing idolatry of China, and to build up in their stead Jively and spiritual stones into the temple of the true God. Such an object, so vast in conception and so stupendous in results, must not be taken in hand sparingly or hesitatingly. Numerous Labourers must enter on this work. Far better that China had never been opened to Christianity, than that Protestants should decline entering the breach with an adequate force. Popery already is sending hither its emissaries with redoubled zeal. Seven Popish Priests are now in Hong Kong. Six

Priests arrived at Macao with the fleet which brought the French Ambassador. French diplomacy, faithful to the Papacy, has made the protection of Popish Missionaries and Converts a subject of special stipulation. Halfyearly couriers from the interior of China visit Macao, and secretly conduct thence the newly-arrived Popish emissaries to the Roman-Catholic flocks in the Central and Northwestern Provinces; where one Popish Society alone, the Institution for the Propagation of the Faith, professes to number its ten Bishops, four Assistants, and one hundred and fortyfour Priests. The impostor of Mecca for 600 years has had his numerous followers scattered over the neighbouring islands, and on the forbidden soil of China itself, where Islamism, triumphing not by the usual methods of fire and sword, but by the milder arts of proselytism, has shamed the puny efforts of Christians in a holier cause. The moral and social evils inflicted by opium smuggling, and our vicious participation in the flagrant immoralities of the system, lend an additional power to the voice of China, crying to British Christians, by the depth of her moral degradation, if not by her consciousness of it, Come over, and help us.

The present generation of Christians will soon have passed away. The heroes who filled the world with monuments of their power or prowess, will soon be forgotten, even in the praises of their fellow-men. But the Missionary work, often the source of humiliation and discouragement, will hereafter be invested in its native honour. And as the writer of these pages, just emerging from the sick room at Macao, stood over the tombs of a Morrison and a Dyer, and contemplated the narrow habitations of the dead, he felt that there was a time fast approaching, when the fading laurels wreathed by fame around the brows of the martial tenants of the neighbouring graves would leave no trace of beauty on the memory; while the names of the first Protestant Evangelists of China would, even here, be remembered, in the affections

of their fellow-men, as among the most illustrious benefactors of the human race."

ITALIAN MISSIONARY IN LONDON.

THE Italians are at our very doors. Some thousand souls are perishing for lack of that bread of life on which we daily feed. We are ready to offer it to them, and to press it on their acceptance: they are willing to hear: all that is wanting is, that British Christians should give a small portion of their abundance for the pur pose of supporting these messengers of peace, and that they should pray for a blessing on the work.

The missionary has opened another school near the London Docks, which is attended by many....... About sixteen persons hear the word with joy, and are in a state of mind which gives reasonable hope of their conversion.

The following translations of portions of the missionary's journal will give some slight idea of his zeal, and method of dealing with the people, and of the superstition he has to

encounter:

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'Sunday, Sept. 1, 1844.-At three o'clock, P.M., our congregation of eight Italians sang psalms, and I read the Holy Scriptures; and after a short prayer, I made a little sermon, on the textSeek ye first the kingdom of God,' &c. (Matt. vi. 33.) After another short prayer, the meeting ended with much order. The hearers, who were all persons that could read and write well, showed much satisfaction.

"At No.-, I found four men, and spoke to them of salvation through Jesus. They asked me if Christ instituted auricular confession. I told them-No: that Jesus instituted the confession mentioned by St. James v. 16, and that auricular confession was established about the year 1216, and that it is now an instrument in the hands of the Italian Government.......

"Another Italian begged to know

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if, in the Supper of the Lord, there was the real body and blood of Jesus, as they say there is in the mass? read to him part of the sixth of John down to the sixty-fourth verse; Matt. xxvi. 29; Mark xiv. 25; and Luke xxii. 19. He thanked me, as if he understood. In many instances poor Italians joyfully accepted copies of the Scriptures as a gift, and many promised to attend the service on Sundays at my own house, and others to send the children to the school.

"On one occasion I asked an Italian of the name of whether he read the Scriptures? He answered that he was a Catholic, and bound to go to the Catholic Church, and could not read the Bible. 'How then,' said I, 'do you hope to be saved?' He answered, By good works.' I replied, 'But you do very few of these works which you call good; and if you examine yourself, you will find that you sin in doing them, for you exult in them: how, then, can they save you?' He said, 'It is true; what should I do then?' I spoke to him on the seventh of Romans, and he seemed somewhat struck.

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a native of Malta, brought up in Italy, showed himself a great lover of the Scriptures, and told me that he had endeavoured to propagate them in Rome and in Aquila. In Rome he was lodged in the Inquisition; whence he came out by order of the British Minister, as a British subject, but he was exiled from Rome. He returned to me again the same day, to ask me about purgatory, venial sins, and transubstantiation. He is an extraordinary young man, though without clear ideas of faith. He loved the Scriptures, without understanding them. He related many extraordinary traits of Popish superstition. One poor man believed that all the members of the London City Mission were Manichæans. It seems that whosoever kisses the Pope's toe, receives certain indulgences and remission of sins. I was assured, both by an Englishman and by a Sicilian, that an ass's tail is placed on the altar of a church in Sicily, and is affirmed to be the tail of the ass on which the Virgin fled into Egypt!

6.

Many of the Italians are Infidels, Materialists, Socinians, &c. Many more are shaken in their adherence to Popery, and willing to hear the Gospel, and read the Word of God.

"One poor old Italian woman had a little altar of superstitions, with crosses, figures, &c. I spoke to her a little of Christ in heaven, and she seemed somewhat touched. She twice fell on her knees before me, in spite of the displeasure I expressed, and wished to kiss my hand and receive my blessing. She said she

would come to the prayers, which she did on the succeeding Sunday with her husband. We afterwards spoke of superstition. She told me, that once being in a church where there was an image of Mary with an image of Jesus in her arms-the Virgin offered her the image of Jesus. I answered, If this is true, it would show that Mary herself teaches you that there is no salvation but in Jesus.' She replied, 'But I love Mary greatly, even more than God or Jesus.' Then I said, 'I tell you plainly you are in error,' and I read to her the second chapter of John, and the sixth, seventh and eighth of Romans."

Di Menna records :-" There were three persons present at public worship at my house. We read several chapters of the Scriptures, sang psalms, and then prayed. Although our number was so small, yet two of the three persons declared that their only hope of salvation was in Jesus. I was more pleased this day with three, than when I have had fifty or sixty present, because I knew certainly that two began to confess themselves sinners, and to hope in God through Jesus Christ alone. They asked me for a copy of the Scriptures, because a companion of theirs had taken the one I had previously given them to Italy."....

Dr. di Menna has been the means of recalling more than one Englishwoman, who had joined the Church of Rome on her marriage, to at least an outward profession of Protestantism.

He describes the tyranny exercised by those who bring over poor boys who go about the streets with organs, monkeys, mice, &c., as so dreadful,

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that it would be a disgrace to Barbary. Young - came to tell me he was going to France, and asked for a Bible, which I gave him. I spoke a little of justification, and he seemed much impressed thereby.

"I found the person İ came to visit dead, and five Italians there, who told me had been assailed by one of the Pope's priests, who had told him to say, 'To you, Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, do I give my heart and my soul. How!' said I, 'can you give your hearts to Joseph and Mary?'

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Certainly,' replied one of them, the heart is offered to all three in common.' I then explained to them the sin of offering the heart to creatures, and spoke to them of the corruption of our nature, and of salvation through Jesus alone. They seemed much pleased. Two Italians told me that a monk was living in Great Saffron-hill Court, and that he took away all the books the Italians had, particularly the Holy Scriptures, and burnt them.

"I began immediately to speak to

on justification by Jesus, and showed him that this was the doctrine of the Church of Rome at the beginning; and that no one can approach God but through Jesus, who has satisfied his infinite justice. .... Then I said to him, "The priests make you say Pater Nosters to the saints.' 'Yes,' said he, I pray to my guardian angel, to Mary, and to other saints.' Here I asked him, 'Do you think that Mary, or the angel, or any of the saints, is your God and Father?' 'No,' replied he, Then why do you say, "Our Father" to them?" 'I was in error,' he replied; I will do so no more.' Then I read to him John ii., where Mary sends the people to Jesus, and prayed. He then said to me, 'Come again as soon as you can, for I believe what you say, for it is the truth.'

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"A man who had placed himself on the Sunday at the door of the Missionary-house to prevent people from entering, met me on one of my visits, and began to revile me, saying, that I went about for the sake of gain. I replied, 'It cannot be for the sake of gain, for I was not poor when in my

father's house, nor in my convent, nor when a missionary in Barbary; for while there, I laid by with ease in a few months about 2,000 piastres, the fruit of my salary from the Propaganda, and of masses, marriages, and purgatory, &c. And here in England, I was in a college (Eton) before becoming a missionary; and I was able to earn what I wished: neither am I now unable to win my bread honestly.' 'Why then do you go about thus?' I answered, 'To preach Jesus.""

[We shall rejoice to be the means obtaining help for this most important work.-ED.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

THERE is a remarkable movement in the operations of this Society, which cannot but be regarded as a singular and encouraging sign of the times. We refer to the unprecedented demand for the Holy Scriptures in various parts of our own country. We must give our readers the whole of the account from Manchester. From Mr. C. S. Dudley, to the Rev. A. Brandram.

Manchester, Nov. 22, 1845.

* I have been waiting and watching for a brief interval of leisure in order to put our Committee in possession of the leading facts of the most interesting case which has hitherto occurred in the history of our beloved Society, or, at least, in its domestic annals; but until to-day I have watched in vain, every hour having been fully occupied. Little did I anticipate, when reluctantly accepting your invitation to revisit Manchester, the scene which awaited me, or the responsibility involved.

It is scarcely possible, especially under present circumstances, to lay hold of the first link in the chain of events which have led to what may well be called, adopting the language of the present day, the Manchester Movement. Let me, however, first state the simple facts of the case.

1. The Manchester and Salford Auxiliary was one of the earliest of our affiliated Institutions, having been

The

instituted in the year 1810. population of that period did not much exceed 100,000: it is now estimated at more than 300,000, and is rapidly increasing. The distribution of Bibles and Testaments in the years ending 1815 was considerable, averaging about 7000 annually. During the ensuing six years the sales gradually declined to about 2500; but were again materially and rapidly increased by the establishment of the Ladies' Branch Society, and its connected Associations, by whose instrumentality the annual sales were raised to about 8000. They speedily, however, again declined, until they reached their former level of about 2500. In the year 1838, the present Depository was established, and its beneficial effects soon became perceptible. The sales in 1839 advanced to 4837, and, with the exception of one year of severe privation and distress, have steadily and progressively increased, until, in 1844, they reached 12,577. The total issues of the Society during thirty-four years, ending Sept. 30th, 1844, amounted to 194,335, being an average annual issue of 5712.

2. Such was the state of this Auxiliary at the end of its thirty-fourth year. To the casual or unreflecting observer, this, when viewed in connexion with other means of supply, might have appeared an adequate provision for the population. The fallacy of such an opinion will, however, at once appear, when it is stated that, in the year ending Sep. 30, 1845, the sales exceeded 15,000, being nearly threefold that of the average of preceding years. And yet this was but the first indication of that extraordinary demand for the Holy Scriptures which has manifested itself among the working classes, and is progressively and rapidly increasing. In the month of October the sales at the Depository amounted to 9618; and so rapid has been the increase of demand, that, in the first eighteen days of the present month, 11,713 copies have been issued, the sales during the ten days averaging more than 1000 a day; a fact unprecedented in the history of any similar Institution. But even this extensive cir

culation seems only to have stimulated the inquiry and demand; for on Monday last the orders received amounted to 2600, and on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively they reached 4000, thus making the number required within three days more than 10,000! The orders transmitted to Earl Street since the 1st of October, amount to more than 38,000 copies.

3. It is not improbable that, in the contemplation of this vast distribution of the Holy Scriptures within the limits of a single Auxiliary, a suspicion may be awakened that the demand was prompted, in degree, at least, by interested motives, and that a portion of these purchases have been made with a view to a re-sale at advanced prices. Nor was my own mind free from this impression, when first witnessing the extraordinary scene at the Depository. All my inquiries, however—and they have been neither few in number, nor limited in extent-have failed to discover a single instance in which Bibles or Testaments have been purchased for pecuniary gain.

4. The agency by which this work has been accomplished, and is still proceeding, is not the least remarkable feature of the case. The impulse to offer, and the desire to purchase, seem to have been alike spontaneous and simultaneous. Teachers and senior children in Sunday Schools-clerks in warehouses and factories-serious young persons employed in the numerous and extensive cotton mills-and others, in various ranks of life, who had been graciously taught the value of the Holy Scriptures as a revelation of infinite love and mercy-appeared to be animated by one spirit. After imploring a blessing from on high on their undertaking, they provided themselves with specimens of different editions of Bibles and Testaments, which they exhibited in the schools and factories, where they appear to have met with open doors and willing minds in every quarter. Thus two young women, employed in one factory, disposed of 300 Bibles and Testaments within a few days. A youth of sixteen years