independence. They left Hungary. After ten years' absence they could return again and resume the work. The Sunday-school, which was one of their most precious efforts did not remain within the walls of the mission building, but found new places in Budapest as well as in the country. The practical result of the influence of the Scotch Mission became visible at the time, when, twenty years ago, a process of leavening began to unite many believing souls in several associations. These Evangelical associations established Sunday-schools and are organizing yearly more and more.

The past fifteen years present such a rapid progress in every kind of home mission work, especially Sunday-school work, that it is beyond all expectation. The following are the rates of increase: In three years Sunday-schools have increased by seventy-two, or fifty-two per cent. The number of scholars has increased by 1,754, or forty-one per cent. The number of teachers has increased by one hundred and sixty-seven, or forty per cent.

There are thirty-three Sunday-schools in Budapest itself. The teachers come together every two months for mutual counsel and encouragement. This Sunday-school association is under the presidency of Mr. John Victor, who is known to our London friends. This association arranges yearly a children's demonstration and an annual gathering on a large scale with the purpose of drawing together all those interested in Sunday-school work. This Association and its work, however, does not stand alone. The work, though only in a special circle, awakened such an interest, that on the first of June the question of Sunday-school work will be brought before the annual meeting of the Hungarian Home Mission Association; one of the delegates here, the Reverend Mr. Takaró, is to give a lecture upon this subject.

All these achievements guarantee a most hopeful future. But there are some other factors whose help has proved very valuable. I mean our friends in Great Britain and in

America. They understand that, though the Hungarian Protestant churches are large, yet they cannot do active work if they are tied. They understand that Lazarus was not only called back to life by the divine Word, but the bands were also loosed by human hands. The marvelous work of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the National Bible Society of Scotland and the Religious Tract Society (the work of the two latter has been and is under the superintendence of the Scotch Mission in Budapest), brought the divine call to all parts of the country through colporteurs. The result is that Lazarus has awakened but the gravebands are yet keeping the huge body from moving.

Our friends have helped us already in this respect, too. The Sunday-schools of America, the London Sunday School Union and the Children's Special Service Mission have, in conjunction with the Religious Tract Society, published suitable booklets, as: Angel's Christmas, Walking in the Light, etc. Much more might be done by publications of this kind. The most promising fact, however, which certainly will be the source of a new start is the connection which exists between the Scotch Mission in Budapest and the London and American friends. During the past few years the London Sunday School Union has helped us wtih the greatest kindness, and has grown more and more interested in our troubles and difficulties. The present superintendent of the Scotch Mission in Budapest, the Reverend J. T. Webster, keeps up this connection, and no Hungarian would be so able to keep it up. I am sure that the intercourse between the West of Europe or America and our country, through Mr. Webster, will help to bring things forward.

Now, if there are so many tokens of a good beginning and so many good friends standing around us, delay in striking out would be dangerous. The ground has been prepared. In different parts of the country there are many who are desirous of starting Sunday-schools if they knew how to do

so, and all the while there are the children to consider also, whose hearts, it would be found, as in other countries, touched by the spark of divine truth, would begin to glow with love to the Lord Jesus if they were brought under Sunday-school influences. But who is going to teach those desirous of working how to begin? Who is going to organize Sunday-schools? Who is going to carry the precious seed out into the country districts and provincial towns of Hungary? We have the man, I mean the Reverend Mr. G. Takaró, who is qualified and equipped mentally and spiritually, saying: "Here I am, send me!" But we are poor, and although willing to do what we can, we have not the means to meet the expense of appointing a Sundayschool missionary or a traveling secretary. Wherefore, I would appeal to you, brethren of the West especially, to come to our help, so that this great and only bulwark of Protestantism in the East of Europe, namely, our Hungarian Protestant Church, may be more firmly established and enabled to extend work among the surrounding Roman Catholic populations. We should need about £160 a year to enable us to appoint such a traveling secretary. The investment would be good and the gratitude of our hearts would be great.

Italy

PROF. DR. CAV. ERNESTO FILIPPINI

Our schools are more than three hundred and fifty in number; our superintendents and teachers more than 1,500; our children exceed 16,000; and I can affirm with confidence that in almost every one of those composing this glorious army of Christ we have an enthusiastic witness to the gospel.

In our "Italian Sunday School Union," are enrolled almost all the forces of the Sunday-schools. All the churches that are laboring in Italy have during these last years given

a vigorous development to their Sunday-schools. They have more than ever understood that their future depends upon this branch of their activity, and the Sunday-school is becoming more and more a fruitful field of evangelization. More than half the children are from Roman Catholic families, in which, by the mouths of the little ones, by our illustrated leaflets, by our journals, pictures and portions of the New Testament, an entrance is won for Jesus and his gospel. And the children not only receive; they give also in a true spirit of sacrifice. The National Committee gathers nearly 1,000 francs annually from the pence of the children. And in a multitude of cases their pence and half-pennies and farthings are so much bread which the little ones take from their own mouths to give to the Lord. Nor is it only to the National Committee that they contribute; there are orphanages and other similar works of charity or evangelization that appeal to our schools, and to which they respond with their mite of sacrifice. At a village called Schiavi, in the Abruzzi Mountains, some children were reproved for selling a few chestnuts—their morning meal on the Lord's day. Their reply and excuse was that unless they did so they would not be able to take their coppers to the Sunday-school. Many are the mountain villages in Alp and Apennine in which the children have to tramp kilometers through the snow, that they may sing, pray, and learn of Jesus; yet they are not willing to come empty-handed.

One of the things that has most moved me in my rounds of visitation has been to hear the little ones themselves praying in the schools. Last September, at Potenza, I could not refrain from tears at the simple fervor with which a nine-year-old child pleaded with the Lord for himself and his dear ones. And who shall say how many families haev thus already been won for Christ! At Florence, in the populous quarter of S. Frediano, a little boy replied to a companion who ridiculed him because he was an Evan

gelico, with such power of persuasion as to induce the little scorner to make trial of the school on his own account; with the result that the new scholar became himself so ardent an evangelist as to bring with him very shortly his brothers. and sisters, and in the end father and mother also became members of the church.

But our work has often to advance in the midst of terrible persecutions. Sometimes the parents yield to the intimidations of the parish priest and forbid the children to attend the school without, however, being able to prevent these from studying in secret their Gospel lesson.

Excellent auxiliaries we have in the Societies of Christian Endeavor, and in the International Bible Reading Association, of which also I am secretary. Let me, however, call your attention to the Albums you may see in the Hall of the Exhibition, presented by the Waldensian, the Methodist Episcopal and other churches. There you may see many of the bright faces of our dear Italian children, shining in response to the love you have lavished upon them. Again, in their names and those of all my fellowlaborers, I tender you ardent thanks and greetings.

India

BY PRINCIPAL COTELINGAM

PRESENTING THE REPORT OF THE REV. RICHARD BURGES, SECRETARY OF THE INDIA SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION

Last night we had the pleasure of hearing a soul-stirring address on that dark continent of Africa. I have no doubt as we were wending our ways through the streets of this "Eternal City" Africa seemed to all of us a heavy burden laid on our hearts. We all felt greatly indebted to Bishop Hartzell for his address on Africa. I am no Bishop, but less than the least of that devoted band of workers who are giving their lives and their time to God's service in India. I would ask you, therefore, during the few minutes that I