and heat of the day," will contribute to insure increased efficiency and success in every department of Christian usefulness. Be you found, my readers, among this reserved host of buoyant and sanguine ones, on the hill-top of expectation, ready, when your services are required, to rush down to "the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty."

4. Once more.-As young men, you are characterised, moreover, by a certain co-operative spirit, which it is of the utmost importance to seize hold upon, and to bind to true Christian service. In after years, jealousies and feuds frequently occasion mutual alienations, but the friendships and associations of youth are, for the most part, affectionate, close, and permanent.

Such, then, are some of the characteristics which peculiarly mark out the importance of that period of life upon which you have now entered. And standing in such relations and possessing such characteristics, we are anxious to impress you with a conviction of the vast importance and tremendous responsibilities involved in the position you оссиру. We need hardly remind you that you live in most eventful times-times of great enterprises, of great progress, of great good, and of great dangers. In your day Christianity, science, and civilisation, are accomplishing some of the greatest achievementswhich have ever marked the annals of history. Arise, then, ye young men, and know and consider the importance of your present position in the world. To the separating cry which is now, as of old, heard in the camp of Israel, "Who is on the Lord's side?" stand prepared, we entreat you, to give a prompt and decisive answer-"Thine we are, O Jesus; on Thy side, and by Thy cause, will we take our stand." Let no considerations discourage you from casting in your lot with the Redeemer's called, and chosen, and faithful adherents. Let no flatterers allure-let no opportunity frighten you from your position on the side of truth and virtue, of liberty and justice, of humanity and religion. Let your fixed and steadfast resolve

be, "The Lord our God will we serve, and His voice will we obey."

Regarding the claims of religion as of paramount importance, it is our design next month to call your special attention to the subject, and to urge you to its immediate attainment. Then we shall expose the dangers of your age and station. We shall call attention, also, to the importance and value of self-improvement, and this will lead us to the subject of books and reading. The Bible-the best of books-will claim our special attention; its claims to Divine inspiration will be briefly investigated, its historical accuracy defended against the subtle attacks of modern scepticism, and its consistency with the results of modern discoveries set forth. Your position in relation to the Church of Christ is one of transcendent importance, and will not fail to occupy a share of our attention. Your talents, also, and the sphere of your influence will be briefly considered, and some illustrative examples will be given of the moral power of our young men," in efforts to benefit the Church and to bless the world. AMICUS.

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[This paper is the beginning of a series, in which our young men will be invited to the contemplation of a variety of topics, scientific and religious.-ED.]

THE WORK OF GOD AT HOME AND ABROAD.

THERE never existed, at any former period of the world's history, such facilities for supplying information as to the operations and successes of religious communities and organizations, as at present. Thanks to a kind Providence for a cheap and ever active press, by which knowledge of this, as of other kinds, is abundantly increased. Our great-grandfathers dreamed as little of the easy access to all kinds of knowledge and information which now exists, as they did of towns being lit up with gas, or of the present railway system, or of the electric telegraph.

Ours are times of marvellous progression. There are in this country several ably conducted and respectable periodicals devoted, we may say exclu

sively, to the laudable and important work of making known what the Churches in this and other lands are doing. And there are few religious periodicals that do not supply informa tion of this character to some extent.

What has been done occasionally in the pages of our own Magazine, will now be done regularly from month to month, supplying such a record of facts as may, under the divine blessing, tend to excite gratitude, increase prayer, quicken zeal, strengthen faith and expectation, induce to greater liberality, and lead to a fuller and more unreserved consecration to the cause of Christ, and the world's conversion.

There is nothing particularly exciting or elating in the present aspect of the Church generally. There is no great revival going on, abounding in thrilling incidents, bringing by its overwhelming power thousands upon thousands of stout-hearted, rebellious sinners to the cross, spreading dismay and consterna. tion through the camp of the great enemy, and filling the souls of saints with joy. Still, there are movements going on which call for thankfulness, and which are deserving of a permanent record.

In London and its immediate neigh. bourhood, various movements are still in operation, intended and adapted to reform, elevate, and bless large classes of the population heretofore for the most part unreached; and the results have on the whole been most satisfactory and gratifying. One of these movements is the opening of theatres on Sundays for religious services during the winter and spring months. These services are conducted by ministers of various evangelical denominations. It is stated, apparently on good authority, that very many have been savingly converted through the preaching of the Gospel at the theatre services, and that since their commencement, four years ago, more than 800,000 persons, chiefly those who never went to an ordinary place of worship, have heard the truth as it is in Jesus. Infidelity has, in numerous instances, been abandoned, and the cold-hearted secularist has been led to adore the Saviour he has sought and found, and to live for a better country, even a heavenly. These services are now in full operation, and our prayer is that God may bless them to the salvation of a multitude of souls.

Mr. William Carter, the well-known

evangelist, is again labouring zealously and successfully at the Victoria Theatre, Lambeth. In addition to the other services he conducts, Mr. Carter holds a series of tea-meetings during the winter months. Twenty-five of these meetings were held last winter. Respecting the results, Mr. Carter writes:-"The majority of those, who professed to be converted at the several meetings have proved to be real and satisfactory cases. Many

of them are the most marvellous subjects of divine grace that ever came under my notice: notorious thieves, returned convicts, sceptics, blasphemers, house-breakers, and the basest villians that ever trod the earth; also many drunken and ignorant costermongers, chimney-sweeps, wood-choppers, dustmen, and quite a staff of policemen and their wives. Indeed, there has not been one tea-meeting held but God has given blessing, and fruit has been gathered unto eternal life."

The "Cab and Omnibus Sunday Rest Society" is doing a good work, and stimulating a movement which deeply affects the temporal and spiritual welfare of a very numerous class of working men. In this movement, as in many others of a benevolent character, the Earl of Shaftesbury takes a prominent part. Its object is to secure to the cabmen and omnibus drivers, and conductors of the metropolis, the Sabbath as a day of rest, and to bring them under religious instruction. The efforts employed have already been crowned with considerable success. About onethird of all the cabs employed in the metropolitan area are at present not sent out on the Sabbath, and the cabmasters bear willing testimony to the benefit accruing, in the superior conduct of the six-day cabmen. We hope so good an example will soon be followed by all the rest. On the subject of Missionary labour among London cabmen, Mr. W. Hill writes :-"I am one of the missionaries employed to work among cabmen,having been a master and driver myself for twenty years. I have during that time taken a great interest in those poor men, knowing that each and all of them were bought with a price, even the precious blood of Christ. I am happy to say that I can bear my testimony to not a few who have found Christ to be the chief among ten thou sand. Many of these men I have known, who were the worst of charac

ters-drunkards, swearers, Sabbath. breakers-but now by the grace of God, they are become useful members of society." This is exceedingly gratifying. With all our hearts we say, success to the movement!

The new Soldier's Institute, specially intended to promote the moral and spiritual welfare of soldiers, opened some months ago at Aldershott Camp, is being attended with good; and we trust the blessing of God, without which nothing is wise or good or strong, will still more signally and extensively rest upon it. The profession of a soldier is not very much to our mind, but we wish all who have adopted it would enlist into the army of Immanuel. They would serve their Queen and country none the less conscientiously and faithfully. It is a

matter for thankfulness that the soldier is at present an object of tender inte. rest, and that the appliances of Christian truth, accompanied by the blessing of the Holy Spirit, are telling beneficially in the army.

A host of good and faithful men are employed as missionaries in the darkest and rudest parts of the metropolis, where scenes of profligacy, crime, and misery exist, too intense and appalling for description. In these places they preach the Word, visit the people from house to house, distribute tracts, &c. Never were so many of the neglected and outcast population of London and its environs brought under the blessed sound of the Gospel as now. Shall the heavenly seed thus scattered perish? Never; it cannot be. Let these godly men, together with Scripture readers, colporteurs, &c., work on, and the number be increased. The seed ger minates, and the harvest shall come. Nay, it has already come in a measure, and it shall be yet more abundant.

Sir M. Peto, Bart., has employed a missionary among the navvies working on the new Kent Coast Railway. He has been occasionally assisted by other brethren; many copies of the Scriptures and religious tracts have been distributed, and good has been done. The navvy class in the United Kingdom is now very numerous, and the example of Sir Morton Peto might with great propriety be followed by other Christian men having large means at their command. None will doubt the possibility, or even probability of success, who

have read the graphic pages of "English Hearts and English Hands."

Our friends the Wesleyans are doing a great work this year. They are celebrating the jubilee of their Missionary Society, and there is every promise that they will do it effectually. Meetings have been held and large sums of money given at Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Bolton, &c. It is calculated by some that by the time the effort is brought to a close, the aggregate amount will not be less than a quarter of a million of pounds sterling. If this should be so, it will be a noble monument of the liberality of the Wesleyan body. We wish them every success. Might not many other religious communities with considerable advantage take a leaf from their book? The fund thus raised is to be applied in carrying out a number of important projects in connexion with the missionary cause. Up to this period (December 2, 1863) they have raised about £90,000.

During the "great revival" in IRELAND, the Rev. J. D. Smith's labours were rendered very useful in and around Kingstown. A new and expensive building for religious services, designated Merrion Hall, has lately been opened in Dublin, in which Mr. Smith is preaching and holding meetings for prayer, &c., with very encouraging prospects of success. Mr. Smith appears to be a very earnest and persevering man, and right glad shall we be to report that the expectations of himself and friends have, in spite of the devil and popery, been more than realized. Religious services are also conducted, under the auspices of a Committee, in the Metropolitan Hall, by ministers of all evangelical churches, and God has graciously vouchsafed tokens of His approval and blessing. In the north of Ireland, there is no religious movement calling for special notice. The hand of the Lord is, however, with our missionaries and their fellow-labourers in His vineyard, and they are not permitted to spend their strength for nought. Would that the day of Ireland's redemption from the thraldom of popery and error, and of her conversion to the truth as it is in Jesus, might soon arrive!

From the FOREIGN mission field the intelligence is replete with interest. In INDIA a great preparatory work is in progress, which may be expected to issue, ere long, in the most important results. The Rev. W. Sampson, of the

Baptist Missionary Society, in describ. ing a preaching tour, in which he was accompanied by several native evangelists, in Hooghley, Bengal, says:-"I am utterly astonished to find the extent to which Christian knowledge has spread through the district. The part through which I have been is a country very seldom visited; and if it ever has been systematically visited, it has not been so for many years; but every. where some knowledge of Christianity has spread. Faith in their own system seems lost. In fact, I was literally startled at the amount of preparatory work that had been done." A native preacher of Baraset says that the spirit of Hindooism is dead for many miles around Calcutta. Its only stronghold now, he observes, is among the women. A Brahmin remarked to him, "Educate our women, and we are undone." A missionary of the Propagation Society, writing from Bombay, states that there are large numbers of Hindoos without any confidence in the system to which they professedly belong. Similar testimonies are borne by many other missionaries. All this is glorious. Oh, that India might everywhere soon abandon her idolatries and polluting rites, and be overspread by pure Christianity

In CHINA much is!being attempted by Christian missionaries, and the Great Head of the Church is graciously blessing their efforts. Some time ago intelligence reached this country of the persecution of converts of the English Presbyterian Mission in and around Amoy. The converts were beaten and stoned, and their crops destroyed; their houses pillaged, and in one instance the mission chapel demolished. An appeal was made to the British Consul, at Amoy, for redress, by the Rev. Mr. Burns; and it is gratifying to state that the appeal was completely successful. The Consul interposed, the stolen property was restored, and the mandarins issued a proclamation forbidding all interference with anyone "who may enter the holy religion of Jesus." There are now four "Gospel boats " labouring in the waters of Amoy, in diffusing Christianity among the people. It is stated that the Protestant hospital under the care of Dr. Lockhart, in the capital of China, is accomplishing much good, and likely to be a great blessing. The number of medical missionaries is ⚫being increased. Our own missionaries

in China, Messrs. Innocent and Hall, are labouring with gratifying success. The communications which appear from time to time in the "Missionary Chronicle," from these devoted brethren, are full of encouragement, and highly calculated to enlist the sympa. thies and prayers, and excite the liberality of the Connexion. Our brethren, indeed, are doing a great work, and God is with them of a truth. They preach without molestation in heathen temples; they denounce idolatry in the presence of Pagan priests and the idols they venerate and adore; they diffuse the Holy Scriptures and religious tracts among a people eager to receive them; they give education to the young, and have an asylum for the blind; and while light is thus being diffused over a wide surface of country, some of the sons of Sinim have abandoned their ancient errors, and embraced the Gospel to their personal salvation. Blessed be God!

The

In JAPAN matters are very unsettled, and missionaries have left and are leaving. All seems dark and portentous at present, but the Lord reigneth, and He will cause present troubles to turn out for the ultimate furtherance of the Gospel. After the storm shall come the sunshine and the calm. Rev. W. Ellis, of the London Missionary Society, we believe, confirms, in an interesting letter, the intelligence of the comparative quiet of affairs in MADAGASCAR up to the end of July. The cattle stealing parties of the Sakalavas had been dispersed. Mr. Ellis describes the congregations at the capital, as having assumed their former appearance in respect to numbers, and additions are made to the churches every month. The arrivals of several missionaries recently sent out is announced. From TASMANIA the missionary intelligence is of a mixed character; some things tending to cheer, and others to depress. IN BRITISH COLUMBIA there is ground for encouragement. Late accounts state that the settlement had been visited by the Bishop of Columbia, who had baptised about seventy Indians. Their reception into the Christian church is represented as having been a most affecting sight. In AUSTRALIA God is prospering the endeavours of His servants. Our enterprising and indefatigable brother, the Rev. James Maughan, recently sent as a missionary to that country by our

own denomination, is labouring with great success. He has already gathered a church of sixty members, and the future seems to be full of brightness and promise. The friends constituting this new Mission Church have engaged to raise the noble sum of £1,000, and already obtained in money and promises £800 towards a new chapel. To the Sunday scholars of the Connexion at home is committed the honour of raising a similar amount for the same object, as they had previously earned for themselves the honour of raising the greater part of the money to send out the first missionary. We say, success to brother Maughan, and may he soon have a host of co-workers-success to the friends in Australia who are doing so nobly-success to our Sabbath

scholars and the projected new chapel, and may Jehovah bless everyone who has a brick or a nail in the building!

We must not omit to notice that the first week in January has again been appointed as a time for united and simultaneous prayer on the part of Christians and Christian churches throughout the world. Millions of fervent prayers will ascend from earnest hearts to the God of heaven for the world's salvation during that week. Oh, that it might be such a week of praying everywhere as

was never

known before! Who can tell what glorious results might follow? The idea first emanated from a few godly men in a village in North-western India, and has to some extent been acted upon at the commencement of the year since 1860. The attention of our ministers and friends is called to the subject by our ever-wakeful Editor in a notice on the cover of the Magazine for the current month (December); and we fervently hope his excellent suggestions will be carried out in every circuit, in every church, and in every family in the Connexion.

Our allotted space is more than filled, and we must now pause for a month. We regret that we have not room for more details. The theme gives inspiration, and is exhaustless in interest. It bears directly on the conversion of the world to Christ. What scope is here for prayer-for faithfor work-for liberality-for Christian enterprise in all its diversity of forms. Haste the glorious consummation-the bright, joyous, Millennial day!

L. S.

THE DELUGE, NOAH'S ARK, &c., &c.

HOLY SCRIPTURE CONFIRMED.

AN early part of the Mosaic narrative records the destruction of the existing race for their wickedness, by a flood.*

Noah built an ark of gopher-wood, which is supposed to have been that of the cypress tree; used by the ancient Egyptians as coverings for their mummies, and by the modern Greeks for their coffins. Externally, the ark was an oblong building; the length of it was six times the breadth, and ten times the height; and the roof was raised or arched, a cubit above the sides, so that it was nearly flat. There was a door set in the side of it, and a window was provided for the admission of light. There were three stories above the hold of the vessel, besides which, there was the attic or garret in the roof; so that in the whole there were five compartments, which were most likely divided into rooms.

Lucian tells of a very remote history of the ark laid up in Hierapolis of Syria, and he thus states the account which the Greeks gave of the Deluge:-"That the first race of men were self-willed, perpetrating many crimes, regardless of oaths, inhospitable, uncharitable: for which cause great calamities fell upon them. For suddenly the earth threw out much water; a deluge of rain fell from heaven; rivers overflowed exceedingly; and the sea itself overspread the globe to that degree that all things were overwhelmed by the water, and the whole of mankind perished. Deucalion alone remained, the source of another generation, on account of his prudence and piety. He was preserved thus: in a great ark, which he had prepared, he placed his wives and his children, and entered also himself. After them went in bears, and horses, and lions, and serpents, and all other living creatures on the face of the earth, by pairs. He received all these animals, which had no power to injure him, but were extremely familiar, being overruled by Divine

Gen. vi.-ix.