1. SPITALFIELDS.-From the Journal of the Rev. J. J. Sargent.-Sunday, January 3d, 1864.-After attending the Covenant-service, I preached in a new lodging-house. Nearly a hundred persons were present, who sung well, and manifested the most striking and sustained attention. A shower of "Good-nights" and "Thank-you's" followed me, from all parts of the room, as I left. Several of these persons were at our service at the chapel in the evening. Appalling neglect of worship.-February 16th.-Visited eighteen families in one of the best streets in the neighbourhood. Of these eighteen families, only three made any pretensions to attending any place of worship. One of the three had but just come to live there, and the woman in the second was a Methodist. In the other families some had been Sundayschool scholars, some had been members of churches, and one family had been Methodists at Macclesfield. This proportion of neglecters of worship is about the regular average here. Scenes at lodging-house services.-On a recent occasion we were proceeding regularly with the service, and I was showing that "godliness is profitable unto all things," and had succeeded in fixing the attention of those who were present, when we were suddenly and strangely interrupted by the furious fighting of two dogs under the table. A strange dog had got into the room, and the dog belonging to the house had determined to turn the intruder out. The scene which ensued was fearful, the ridiculous and the awful strangely mingling together. The dogs yelled; the women shrieked; and some of them got upon the table; and the men stormed and swore. In this storm all I could do was to fold my arms and wait till order was restored, which was not done till the intruder had been ignominiously expelled. On the same evening a young man who zealously helps in this work, while preaching in a neighbouring house, was interrupted twice. First by a Jew, who, garments in hand, rushed in, crying, "Does any von vant to buy a nice little vaistcoat?" Immediately some of the auditory bawled out, "Don't you see the preacher is here?" when he retired, with civil apologies for his intrusion. Then while speaking of the certainty and solemnities of the Day of Judgment, one of his hearers was grinning and laughing with strange and disgusting levity; when VOL. X.-FIFTH SERIES. an Irishman, who with pipe in mouth had been listening most attentively, removing his pipe, shouted to him across the room in a serious tone, but so as to endanger the gravity of the hearers, "I'll tell you what it is, Mike. You'll laugh the other side of your mouth when that day comes.' After preaching to one hundred persons in one of these houses, a man roughly said to the preacher, "When we die, we die like dogs and are buried, and there is an end of us. My old mother was always poring over the Bible, and crying because I would not believe it." The preacher asked him, "Is your mother alive?" "No," said the man; "she's been dead some time." "O," rejoined the preacher, imitating the man's tone and manner, "she died like a dog, was buried, and there is an end of her." "What!" said the man, livid with rage, you say my mother died like a dog?" "No," was the answer: "you say so. I say she died like a saint, and is with God in heaven. You see you do not believe what you have been saying." The man was silenced and confounded, and a valuable influence was obtained over the people. Restoration from desperate backsliding. I may refer again to a man for whose restoration to the church of Christ I am deeply thankful. Shortly after I commenced my work here I found him in an underground kitchen, an avowed and desperate atheist. He stated that he had been brought up like Timothy, had been trained in a Wesleyan Sundayschool, and had been a Methodist in a class led by one of the most respectable and influential gentlemen in London. This man, on one occasion, rushed past me in the street, shouting in derision, "Behold the Lamb of God!" I had lost sight of him for some time, when on a Sabbath afternoon, as I was preaching in the open air, I saw him among the congregation listening most attentively. I was anxious to speak to him, and at the close of the service I got him by the hand, and asked him how he was getting on? "Sir," said he, "I have given up all my atheistical notions.' He detailed his reasonings in a satisfactory manner, and told me that one evening he had been to Spitalfields chapel. Whilst listening to the word preached, the good Spirit of God brought the remembrance of better times and of his sins with crushing power upon his broken 2 H heart, and he became truly and deeply convinced of sin. He had fallen so low that he was getting his bread by singing ballads in the street; after which he would address the listeners, railing at all religion, and denouncing all religious professors as hypocrites. Now his occupation was gone. He could not labour, because of bodily infirmity. With neither money nor friends what could he do? He determined to go into the streets and sing hymns. He tried, but the hymns completely broke him down. To use his own words, "he stood in the street, and wept like a child." From that Sunday afternoon this man has regularly met in my class. He has obtained peace with God, and his testimony to the saving power of the Gospel is intelligent, explicit, and emphatic. After having him on trial six months, during which time he never received a farthing of money from me, but acted as a servant in a lodging-house, and being there a light in a dark place, I got him employment, by which he earns eighteen shillings per week. He is most grateful and useful. At our recent Jubilee meeting he contributed £1 to the Missions. A week or two ago I visited a dying man. His wife told me that the man referred to in this account, and who had been turned out even of the lodging. houses because of his desperate blasphemy, had been that morning to visit her sick husband as an angel of mercy, and had left money to purchase comforts for the dying man. As I look upon the past history of this man, and at his present position and prospects, I cannot but exclaim, "Is not this a brand plucked from the burning?" 2. BRIGHTON.-The Rev. W. H. Johnston is labouring here with great diligence, and is doing a good work with Bible-classes among the residents in the town, and for the benefit of the soldiers at the barracks. God is graciously own. ing these labours in the conversion of sinners. But Methodism is cramped and hindered for the want of chapel accommodation, and will not take its proper position in the town till a new chapel is erected in a good situation. Mr. Johnston, in his Journal, notices a person who had been four weeks trying to find a Wesleyan chapel in Brighton, and also another who, after residing there for a much longer period, had not heard of any such chapel. He adds: I have lately had lengthened conversations with some sceptically-disposed persons, of good education, considerable information, and talent; and I hope to be the means of leading them to Christ. They come and hear me preach, and the Holy Spirit is evidently at work on their hearts. God has of late opened my way to places and circles most unlooked for, and to strange fields of labour. The erection of a new chapel at Brighton is in contemplation, and is indispensable to our progress. 3. WEST-BROMWICH.-The Rev. J. G. Cox writes, January 8th, 1864:-I may state the results of the first four months of our Home-Missionary operations, as follows. We have a good schoolchapel, class-rooms, and land for a large chapel. This property has cost nearly £600, is free of debt, and settled on the provisions of the Model Deed. A congre gation of two hundred persons has been collected, nearly all of whom previously neglected public worship. A Sunday school of more than one hundred children has been established. A new Society class formed, and members added to other classes. Our first quarterly collection in the school-chapel amounted to £1. 18. Arrangements are made for systematic visiting, the distribution of tracts, and holding cottage-services. The aggres sive spirit of Methodism in this Circuit has been manifestly stimulated, and we are looking for large spiritual results. 4. WOLVERHAMPTON.-The Rev. N. Stevens writes, December 31st, 1863:The Home-Mission operations here are so increased as to constitute a small Circuit. I have four chapels, one preaching-house, and nine houses in which cottage-services are held under my care. The members connected with these places number two hundred and one. These require my special visitation; yet we are making aggression in our districts. We have some satisfactory instances of conversion during the quarter, but we suf fer from the migratory habits of the work ing population. Our new Mission-chapel at Whitmore-Reans is filled on Sunday evenings, and a new and commodious chapel is required at the east end of the town to replace the present temporary Mission-erection. 5. TUNSTALL.-The Journal of the Rev. A. Hoskings abounds in interesting details of numerous visits paid to the sick and dying. These visits disclose a fearful amount of wretchedness, neglect of religion in health, and insensibility and even levity in prospect of death. In some cases there have been satisfactory evidences of sound conversion, so that this part of the minister's duty has not been altogether without encouragement. The Mission-congregation is large, extra forms being required for its accommodation; the Mission-school numerously attended and well organized; and a band of willing and earnest Missionary labourers are aiding the minister in his work by distributing tracts, visiting, and holding cottage-services. Mr. Hoskinga writes, Saturday, January 23d, 1864.-After 8 P.M., visited eleven publichouses and beer-shops. The houses were crowded with forgemen, colliers, &c., the men I have wished to meet with at their houses but could not find them there. Here were fine young fellows just commencing their evil course, mixed with old haggard sots, and low women. I walked into the tap-rooms and bars, and distributed tracts to the drinkers. The landlord at one place lighted his pipe with the tract I had given him. I offered him a second, and requested that he would read it. He stared at me, said he would keep that; and swore that I was the first "parson" that had ever entered his house. I conversed with wveral who were present. Many appeared ashamed. Three followed me oat to unburden their minds. Two had iken members of a religious society, but had fallen into sin. I talked affectionately and faithfully to them. Surely sech effort will not be fruitless. 6. MOSSLEY, Ashton-under-Lyne. The Rev. J. H. Walthew writes:-We had seventy persons present at our Covenant-service at the commencement of the year. Our congregations continue to be very good; we have one hundred and forty present at our weekday service, filling the chapel. We need a new chapel and school. I could soon secure five hundred children if we had room for them. At present our largest congregations are in the Mechanics' Institution. We have to encounter great difficulties in securing land. The church gathering here is composed of poor people, who till lately were in a most pitiable condition of ignorance and irreligion. All are greatly improved, but require much teaching. Methodism will soon be numerically strong here; and if we can secure a suitable place of worship it will be also influential. services. The persons so blessed are now acting consistently as members of the church of Christ. Some of the prayer-meetings have been seasons of great power, many present being deeply convinced of sin; and on some occasions nine or ten have professed to find peace with God through faith in Christ. The minister's visits have been welcomed by the people. The congregations in the new (Mission) chapel continue to improve, more sittings are being let, and there is every prospect of a prosperous Society being formed. More than fifty cottage-services have been held during the quarter, in which the Missionary minister has been assisted by sixteen earnest and faithful friends. The meetings have been well attended, and are sometimes crowded. The Mission-Society is in a satisfactory state, and has an increase of twenty members, with many on trial. A new class has been formed, a band-meeting and two weekly prayer-meetings established, and the minister has a Bible-class attended by about thirty young persons. 8. HALIFAX. From the Journal of the Rev. James Shearman.-Sunday, December 6th, 1863.-Held a lovefeast at the Mission-room. It would have been gratifying to all the friends of Home-Missions to have heard the simple and satisfactory statements made, concerning their being led to abandon sin and to seek and find the mercy of God through attending our services, and how happy the possession of religion had made them. Many grateful tears were shed, and our rejoicing was great. There are now fifty persons meeting in our classes who ascribe their conversion to God to the influence of our Mission-labour in seeking them out, and bringing them to public worship.—February 1st, 1864.-I am giving special attention to Elland, a thriving town with 5,000 inhabitants. Here, though Methodism formerly flourished, it has of late years been at a low ebb. Our chapel is a good one, and will hold five hundred persons; but the congregation at this date is but one hundred. I have organized several cottage-services and prayer-meetings; engaged the members to visit their neighbours to invite them to public worship, and intend to give it all the attention in my power. We shall have a service in the chapel every night in the week except Saturday, and we confidently look for God's blessing. 7. OLDHAM.-The Journal of the Rev. J. W. Henderson, ending February 29th, 1884, narrates several instances of conversion to God, resulting from visitation and the influence of numerous cottage- writes, February 4th, 1864.-The pro 9. FILEY.-The Rev. J. L. Posnett gress of the work since the formation of this Mission-Circuit has been encouraging. The number of members has encouragingly increased, and many who have joined us are young persons. Besides the efforts necessary to meet the requirements of the Home-Missionary Committee, great and well-sustained exertions have been made during the year to reduce the chapel debt. The object of this movement is to provide for the sustentation of the work of God, and nearly £400 has been subscribed. We are also raising funds for the furnishing a house for the minister, which will be ready for occupation by July next. On the whole, though there are difficulties, we are encouraged by the aspect of the work in which we are engaged. We are aiming to build up and extend Methodism in this neighbourhood. HOME-MISSION WORK NEEDING TO BE DONE. THE following are selected from numerous similar statements made to the Home-Missionary Committee, and show the imperative necessity of earnest prayer for a sufficient supply of earnest, self-denying, able, and practical ministers: of men who can not only talk well, but do the work of evangelists. These statements show also that, encouraging as the recent increase of the Home-Mission Fund has been, it must be largely augmented if we are to keep and cultivate the fields we have won in the rural districts, and if we are to do anything like our proportion of Christian work required in the metropolis and in our large towns. The pressure of numerous applications for help upon the Home-Missionary Committee is continually increasing. It would require one hundred additional ministers to do the present work of Methodism in Great Britain alone, as efficiently as it ought to be done, without contemplating any aggression. Every application should be met; but this cannot be done but with a far larger income. For such enlarged income the Committee are confident they shall not appeal in vain. 1. NEWPORT - PAGNELL. Twentythree preaching-places, including sixteen chapels, and extending sixteen miles from north to south, and fourteen from east to west, with five good old towns, and fourteen large and populous villages, constitute a sphere of labour far too extensive for one ordained min ister and a probationer to work efficiently. The Circuit contains the Wol verton station, where among the nume rous artisans employed there is work for one minister, among a class which has always well repaid our attentions. Our work, though arduous and increas ing, is comparatively abortive for aggres sion and progress, simply on account of the infrequency of our preaching and pastoral visits. If impression be made, it fails of fruitfulness, for want of ministerial attention and pastoral care. Our Local agency, though not wanting in earnestness and devotion, is not equal to the emergency; and if anything saves this Circuit from the reproach of fortysix years' further dependence on the Home-Mission Fund, it must be, under God, the introduction of another minister. The people are generally poor; but the Methodist preaching is popular, and they crowd to hear when we attend them. Rev. T. W. Smith. 2. CHEPSTOW.-Something ought to be done here. Souls are perishing for whom Christ died. Notwithstanding the great pressure felt by our poorer classes, whose wages will not average more than eleven shillings per week, many are willing to give out of their poverty towards the support of an additional minister. We have in Chepstow 4,000 inhabitants, of which number not 1,000 are in attendance upon public worship. Besides Chepstow, I have eleven other chapels to supply, as I best can, in the Circuit. What can one minister do in such circumstances' Methodism will never make any progress, as now worked; nor can it maintain its present position, unless the Home-Missionary Committee and the Conference can give it special help. I do not know a more spiritually destitute neighbourhood. With adequate ministerial help much might be done.-Kr. George Buckley. 3. APPLEBY.-The want of ministerial labour and pastoral care is painfully felt in this Circuit. There are twentyfive preaching places on the plan, and these extend over twenty-eight miles. Our labours are dissipated into inefficiency, and no one place can have that attention which is necessary to prosperity. 4. PORTESSE, NEAR BANFF.-The following Letter, addressed to the Rev. Charles Prest, cannot be read without great interest being excited in favour of the writer and his friends : Portesse, January 28th, 1864. "Ir is with feelings of much solicitude that I approach you by letter, trusting that the Lord will, by His good Spirit, cause you to take an interest in our spiritual and eternal welfare. Ever since the revival in 1860 many of us have been looking for a Wesleyan minister. For a long time forty of us have kept together, holding a meeting at eleven o'clock and at four o'clock every Sabbath day; our numbers are increasing; and we only want a minister among us, to go on well. Some are frowning upon us, but we do not expect Methodism to be established here without a struggle; but if God be for us, who can be against us? We made an application for a HomeMissionary minister last year, which, though favourably received, could not then be met. We hope now that our prayers will be heard, and that at the next Conference a minister will be appointed. Many are waiting to join us on the first notice that we are to get a minister. Two young men and four married men joined us about six weeks ago, and our meeting-place is full at the afternoon service. If we had a min ister, we should require a larger place, and for this end we have established a Chapel-building Fund, beginning with £22 from but a few persons; but, of course, we mean to make a general effort, so that by the time a minister comes to us, to guide our affairs, we might be able to arise and build.' -Dear Father, we are your children though you know it not; and we are determined, by the grace of God, that we will not seek the bread of heaven but from the ministers of the church we love. If we do not get a minister at the next Conference, it will powerfully discourage us. I may just say that we guarantee £50 per annum towards the expense of the appointment. Banff is sixteen miles from this place. The ministers there have most kindly visited us occasionally, and baptized our children, &c.; and happy and blessed seasons their visits have proved to us. If we do not occupy this place, others will; but we trust you will encourage us to go on by a letter, by return of post.We remain yours in the bonds of Christ. Signed in behalf of the Committee, WILLIAM MCINTOSH. GENERAL RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. BIBLE SOCIETY'S FUNDS AND ISSUES. -The "Monthly Reporter" for April deed, we are grateful that the funds have not suffered so seriously as we at one time expected." But of the issues, the Reporter adds,—— "These present an increase of 49,356 volumes; the total number of copies supplied to Societies in England and Wales, during the year ending 31st of March, 1863, being 636,071. "The issue of the cheap editions has been most favourably received by the general public, and it has encouraged our friends to more zealous exertions for a wider distribution of the Book among the working-classes and Sunday. school children. "God bless the Bible Society for selling the Bible so cheap!' has been the greeting with which the poor have welcomed the colporteur's visit and his precious books." HIGHLAND SUPERSTITION. A curious case has been brought before a court in Argyleshire, showing the superstitions still prevalent in parts of the Highlands. A woman brought an action for damages against a farmer who declared that he had seen her at his stable-door, and that |