ITALY.

Ir is now more than twelve months since our Mission in this city was opened; and, judged according to the rate of progress at which Evangelical work in Italy now proceeds, the results of the year's labours may be regarded as encouraging. We have an average congregation of some sixty persons; and of these, thirty, exclusive of the members of my own household, have been admitted to the Lord's table. The administration of this rite took place for the first time, in public, on the first Sunday in the New Year. Most of the new communicants had regularly attended the public services for the greater part of twelve months, and had been carefully prepared for this solemn confession of Christ in private meetings for inquirers. At the last of these meetings prior to the Communion, a printed ticket, signed by the minister, was distributed to each communicant, accompanied by questions and counsels on the subject of religious experience, to which nearly all responded with great simplicity and earnestness. This week we have observed, according to the now established custom of several religious bodies, as a week of prayer. Every evening the attendance has been good; and one or two of the new converts have for the first time publicly given utterance to their own wants, and to those of their brethren, at the throne of grace.

In removing to Padua we transported with us our Young Ladies' Boarding School. Last year we had but two additional pupils from the town of Padua itself. The examinations, however, at the end of the year, to which we gave some degree of publicity, procured us one or two zealous advocates, amongst whom I may especially mention Dr. De Leva, the present rector of the University. The principal journal of the town, moreover, opened its columns to a long and eulogistic notice of the event, written and signed by a gentleman of some standing in the Town Counsel. The result has been an encouraging accession to the number of the pupils; but, more than from the

number of the new comers, we augur hopefully from the fact that they belong to well-known and influential Paduan families. Our great want now is larger and better adapted premises, which we find it exceedingly difficult to obtain without going to an outlay incompatible with the straitness of our means.

On the whole, then, this beginning of work at Padua is one of promise, always, as I have already said, considered relatively to the slow and difficult progress of Gospel truth in this land. Yet we rejoice with trembling; for discouragements and dangers are more numerous than friends at home generally imagine. Thirty souls are but a small harvest, after all, from a population of forty thousand, and after a year's public labours, with no more let or hindrance than we should have had in London itself. Of the two thousand students entered this year at this University, there is not one who manifests the slightest interest in our work; not one, indeed, so far as I am aware, who does not scoff at Christianity, as the worn-out superstition of an age now dying off. Even the increase in our scholars is to be attributed, not to any desire that the children should be instructed in a purer faith, but to sheer religious indifference. "I believe in but one religion," has been the remark of more than one of the parents in consigning his child to our care, 66 that of the honest man; for the rest, Jew, Christian, or Pagan, it is all one!" Between the horror with which all contact with us is regarded by the bigoted Catholics, and the utter indifference of the more liberal-minded to all spiritual interests, it must not be wondered if we number our converts by units, or at most by tens, and get into the habit of speaking of a room full of auditors, in a population of tens of thousands, as a prosperous and hopeful work.

One or two extracts from letters which have reached me, in the course of the last month, from some of our evangelists in other parts of Italy, may not be without interest to the readers of this letter.

Signor Bosio writes me, from Cremona, the 7th of the present month: -"Here the work continues to go on well, and glad I am that you are coming

to visit us."

Signor Ferretti, writing from Florence, in date of the 8th, says :-" A lad of the school has died lately. Though the Son of Roman Catholic parents, he refused to see the priest on his death-bed, and fell asleep in the Lord, singing, 'I have a kind Father, who calls me to heaven!' (The first line of one of our school hymns) 0, if we wish to do good in Italy, let us multiply evangelical schools!"

From Spezia, Signor Lissoli writes:"On the evening of Christmas Day we. celebrated the Lord's Supper: the number of the communicants was twentyive. Seven of our brethren were absent; me through illness, and some because the family gatherings of this festive season had called them away from the town. The Lord was with us during the solemnity, and we all felt the gracious influences of His presence. The last night of the year I hope to hold a watch-night in our own house. Some of our good people have been already invited, and have accepted the invitation with pleasure. In our congregation are now found several young men, who manifest a most sincere desire to become disciples of Christ."

He

Some months ago, a poor family in the village of Remodello, in the province of Mantua, to whom the truth had been brought by the agency of one of our La'ous colporteurs, invited Signor Patucelli, the evangelist of Parma, to preach to them and their neighbours. went; but the visit nearly cost both him and the people who had sent for him their lives. An immense and furious mob, stirred up by the priests, Assailed the house, drove Patucelli and his companions from the place, pur sued the conveyance in which they aped along the road, took possession of the bridge by which the road crosses the river Oglio, compelled the fugitives to drive into the water; and it was by Lothing less than a miracle of Divine Providence, that the evangelist and his nds were able, after wading down the stream, to scramble out at a distance from their persecutors, and escape by by-paths across the fields. Since

then, the godly words and example of the pious family who had sent for the preacher, other visits of the colporteur, and the diffusion of tracts and Testaments, aided somewhat, no doubt, by the vigour displayed by the authorities in bringing to justice the authors of the tumult, have produced so entire a change in the sentiments of these poor rustics, that, towards the close of the year, Signor Patucelli did not hesitate to accept a second invitation to the same place, for the immediate purpose of administering baptism to a child of his pious hosts. In a letter dated the 31st of December he writes me thus of his reception, and of the way in which the service passed off:

"The baptism at Remodello was attended by the blessing of the Lord. The house was crowded with people; as was also that same court-yard, where last time I had almost lost my life. After explaining the original sinfulness of our nature and the redemptive work of Christ, I administered the rite in the midst of a most touching silence. Then arose a loud cry, To the yard! to the yard!' and nothing would do but I must preach in the very place from which I had been before so roughly driven away. What theme could be more opportune than the infinite love of Christ? I selected it, and took occasion during the discourse to express the deep sorrow which myself and my companions felt for the poor fellows who were lying in prison. I assured my auditors that in that very day of peril we had fully pardoned them, as we hoped for pardon ourselves, and pro

mised our best offices on behalf of the delinquents. Otonelli writes me to-day, that my word was made a blessing, and that the people beg me to call on my way to Castiglione, where the trial is to come off. It will be in part doubtless to recommend the accused once more to our merciful consideration; but what of that, if, in the mean time, the light of God penetrates their souls?"

These extracts may serve to give some idea of the perils, trials, encou ragements, and discouragements of a work, which loudly calls for the prayers of all who have interest at the throne of grace. Rev. H. J. Piggott, B.A., Padua, January 11th, 1868.

1. GOSPORT.-The Rev. John Walter writes, December 4th, 1867.-In the 2d Battalion 7th Regiment, which left us recently for Liverpool, there were one bundred Wesleyans. We have now eighty-five men of the Line in the new krracks. I do not know what number of Wesleyans are at the new forts: we earnot arrange for a parade-service for them, in consequence of the distance. Car Lumber of the marines last quarter was ninety-five. The average attendance of seamen of the navy was fifty-four. A large number of boys returned as Weskyans have been removed from the St. Vincent to the training ship at Southampton. I understand that there are one hundred Wesleyans on board the "Irresistible," in Southampton Water, for when it is desirable to provide a service en shore, if practicable.

2. PARKHURST.-From the Rev. W. Moster, December 5th, 1867.-I forward you a list of thirty-two "declared Wesleyans" who have just left this depôt to join the 64th Regiment at Malta. The whole of them, with two exceptions, are recruits, who have come here from various parts of the kingdom. I have mason to know that my labours have not bera in vain among them. I hope you are making some provision for the increasingly important garrison of Malta; where these thirty-two Wesleyans will not End a Methodist chapel or a Methodist minister, but will be as destitute of the eare of their own church as hundreds of the military now are, and have been for years, on that station.

December 29th.- Our men during the qarter have been very attentive to the Word preached; and I have been much encouraged by the steady and consistent deportment of our church-members, and by the attendance of soldiers' children at Sunday-school. I have had most interesting interviews with men in hospital, seven of whom I found, on one of my visits, had been in our Sundayschools in their boyhood.

The following extracts from letters received by Mr. Moister are interesting and encouraging:

From. I and have settled down in our new quarters, and have become acquainted with several ChrisVOL. XIV.-FIFTH SERIES,

tian brethren. One minister, to whom you gave me a letter of introduction, gave us a hearty and cordial reception.

is in earnest, and will, I trust, hold on in the good way. I have formed an acquaintance with a corporal, who is a minister's son. He is well educated. He has become quite serious, and regularly attends our meetings in my company. I am thankful to say that we are prospering in the Divine life, and shall ever have cause to be grateful for your parental advice and affectionate encouragement. In leaving Parkhurst, we keenly feel your loss; nor shall I ever forget Mrs. Moister's kinduess she was as a mother to me. I shall always remember you both with love and gratitude.

From a soldier's mother.--My son speaks most gratefully of your kindness; and I beg you to accept my warmest thanks also for the interest you have manifested in his spiritual welfare. Words fail to express all I feel for the deep sympathy with him which you have shown, as well as with us. May God continue to bless your labours, and may you be rewarded by secing many turning to the Lord.

From a soldier's sister.-Pardon the liberty of one who is young and a stranger, in thus addressing you, to express my sincere and earnest thanks for your kindness to a beloved brother. His joining the army was an exceeding bitter trial to me. I had looked forward with pleasure to his coming of age, and cherished many a bright hope as to his future career, and the comfort he would be to our dear mother. The blow fell with a crushing weight upon me. I can, however, thank God for it now, as it has been the means of bringing him to a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. Your interest in him has been very consoling to us all, and the earnest prayers of his pious mother have been answered. May He who has said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me," reward you and Mrs. Moister to whom we present our grateful acknowledgments-for your united kindness to our dear F, of which he informs us in his letters since his conversion.