to confess their sins. These cottages have each a little window, but when any one enters to confess, the curtain is drawn, and the pastor and the person who confesses are shut up alone. When the confession is over, the pastor and the person who has been confessing, come out of the box into the church, and there the pastor absolves the person from his sins. The confession and absolution take place on week days; and the sacrament is administered to the absolved on the Sabbath following. In one of the standard books of the Lutheran church, it is taught that when people have been absolved, and have taken the sacrament, they are as pure as the angels of heaven, and I fear that the people are deluded by this doctrine, and led blindly to perdition. If the people believe this doctrine, what is there to hinder them from living as the world, the flesh, and the devil may prompt them? Sin can do them no harm, according to this doctrine, provided they have but time enough afterwards to make confession, receive absolution, and take the consecrated wafer and wine. I see very little difference between this doctrine of the Lutheran church, and the doctrine of indulgences preached by the Papists of old. What difference is there between giving the Pope ten shillings for a pardon, and giving the Lutheran pastor ten shillings for absolution? The plan of confession, absolution, and taking the sacrament altogether, as followed by many of those who call themselves Lutherans, appears to be almost exactly the same as the plan followed by the Roman Catholics, and the results appear to be no better in the one case than in the other.

There are three or four pastors to each of the principal churches in Hamburgh, and each pastor preaches once each Sunday. Very little time is lost between the services of the different preachers. Almost immediately after one has done, another commences, and so they go on to the end. They generally contrive to get through their work by two or three o'clock, that they and their congregation may have as much time left for eating, drinking, smoking, gambling, and for visiting the various places of amusement, as possible.

It is quite a common thing for the theatres, ball-rooms, dancing saloons, and other places of amusement to be

open on a Sunday, as well as on other days. Indeed, Sunday is the principal day for these amusements. The principal performances take place on the Sunday, both at the theatre, the dancing-saloon, the concert-rooms, and other places of amusement. The manner in which Sunday is spent is truly awful. When I first witnessed it, I was quite astounded. One of the first things which I noticed, as I entered the city on the Sunday morning, was, that the shops were open, and that people were buying and selling as on other days. I only saw three shops closed in the whole city, and I passed through a great part of it; and whether these three were occupied or not, I cannot say. There appeared to me to be more buying and selling on the Sunday, than on any other day.

But I was most struck with what I saw in the city itself, in the afterpart of the day. I had been astonished enough to see the eagerness with which the multitudes ran after the various kinds of amusement provided for them on the evenings of other days; but the weekday extravagances seemed almost decent and tolerable compared with what I witnessed on the Sunday afternoon. In the churches, taking them altogether, you might have found from fifteen hundred to two thousand persons perhaps assembled; but in the tea and coffee gardens, in the theatres, ball-rooms, dancing-saloons and concert-rooms, at the card-tables, billiard tables, shows, mountebanks, and in other scenes of amusement and profligacy, you might see nearly the whole population of the city. I should think that I saw myself, at the different places of amusement and crime by which I rode, some scores of thousands. And it was impossible for me to see all. The appearance of an English village or town, on a feast day or fair day, is hardly to be compared with the appearance of Hamburgh on a Sunday afternoon. There were fly-boats, whirly-gigs, wooden-horses, mountebanks, bands of music, shows, dancing, conjuring, and gambling places almost without end; and all appeared to have plenty of customers.

Those of the inhabitants who did not flock to places of amusement, were principally working at their callings. A considerable number were busy in their shops, others were in the markets, while some others were building, plastering, and painting. I saw several

females who were knitting and sewing, some in their houses, and others sitting at their doors. Those men who work at their trades on the Sunday, and those women who spend the day in sewing and knitting, appeared to me to be the more sober and moral kind of the people.

Those amusements are mixed up, as I have already intimated, with a vast amount of licentiousness. A great many of the dancing-rooms, as well as a great many of the other places of amusement, are common brothels. In one part of Hamburgh, I saw a whole long street, consisting of nothing else but dancing-rooms and similar places of amusement, and every one of these places was a common brothel. And all this is done in open day, in one of the most open, airy, and pleasant parts of the city, without secresy and without shame. And excepting one person, I never heard this abomination condemned by a German. Most of those to whom I spoke on the subject considered it as a matter of course. I could not learn that they considered it as an evil; but I did learn that whether they regarded it as an evil or not, they had no idea that it would ever be done away, much less that it was their duty to endeavour to bring it to an end.

It is a pain to me to make such disclosures, but when it is considered first, that while missionaries have been sent by English people to the most distant parts of the earth, no efforts have been made by the professors of this country to better the state of things on the continent; when it is considered, secondly, that many people in our country are in the habit of sending their children to Hamburgh, and to other similar places on the continent, to school, or to improve themselves after

they have left the school, I hope my friends will be led to see, that it was necessary to make those revelations of the state of morals in those places. It seemed needful to disclose a little of the truth on this disagreeable subject, both to warn our country people of the dangers of sending their children to those places, and to excite the followers of Christ to make some efforts, in order to bring about a second reformation in those countries.

I have the hope that the day of a second reformation is dawning on Germany, as well as on the nations of the continent generally. There are many pious people scattered up and down the country, who are sighing and crying on account of the abominations that are done in the land. And the number of those pious people is increasing, and their souls are becoming more zealous for God, and more daring in their efforts to promote his plory. In some cases these pious people have been persecuted by the authorities, but even the civil authorities are beginning to see that persecution is in vain. The authorities of Hamburgh are more tolerant now than they were when I was first in Germany. J. G. Oncken is now allowed to proceed in his labours of love unmolested. The Wesleyan Association minister too is allowed to preach and labour unmolested. Though his proceedings are not sanctioned, they are connived at.

The Independent and church people in Hamburgh have taken out what is called a concession from the government, that is, a license to preach and hold meetings for worship, on condition that they do not preach in German, or make proselytes; but there is no doubt that if they had taken the same course that J. G. Oncken has taken, they would have gained full liberty."

"On the 10th of October, we held a tea-meeting, in aid of our funds, and which, I am happy to say, was exceedingly well attended, there being about 120 persons present. Mr. J. Davies, having been called to the chair, offered a few appropriate observations, after which the meeting was addressed by Messrs. Oncken, (Baptist) Turley, (Wesleyan) and Captain Strannack, (Wesleyan). It is gratifying to state, that the proceedings gave very general satisfaction, the friends, as they retired expressed the pleasure they had experienced throughout the evening. The proceeds amounted to nearly ten pounds. During four weeks of the quarter,

I have been rendered incapable of discharging my ministerial duties, in consequence of a severe attack of bilious fever, but from the effects of which, thank God, I am fully recovered. I was providentially relieved of all anxiety as to the church and mission, my esteemed friend and brother Turley, kindly consenting to take my place, although he had transacted the business for which he had come hither, and was about to return home. His services were highly acceptable and efficient.

Our circumstances in regard to spiritual things are somewhat the same as at the date of my last. W. H. WALKER."

TO THE EDITOR-Dear Sir,

According to the instructions received from the Connexional Committee, previous to my departure, I embrace this opportunity of giving you some account of my labours in this place. I arrived here on the 28th of October, and was received with great kindness by the people, whom I found as sheep without a shepherd. As they had been without a Missionary for near three months, the preaching places had become neglected, and three of the most important classes, which had been met by my predecessors, scattered, I must confess that this state of things caused me to feel much discouraged in entering upon this great and important work. I saw, however, that there was no time to lose, and accordingly, the following day, being Saturday, I, in company with one of our members, commenced visiting the people, and invited them to come to the chapel on the following Sabbath. The following extracts, from my journal, will give you more particular information relative to my proceedings hitherto, and as to what are our present state and prospects:

Oct. 30th. (Sunday.) This day I commenced my labours. Morning and evening preached in the chapel, and met two classes; in the afternoon delivered an exhortation in a house. The services in the chapel were better attended than I anticipated; in the evening, especially, we felt the unction of the Holy One. No sooner had I pronounced the benediction, than one of our members, who was brought to a saving knowledge of the truth, through the instrumentality of brother Thompson, stood up, evidently so filled with that joy which is "unspeakable,"

as not to be able to contain himself, and began praising God that he had put it into the hearts of the friends in England to send them a spiritual guide. He said they had been without a preacher for some time, and they were filled with doubts and fears that they would be left in this condition, but God had heard their prayers, removed their fears, and he entreated them all to engage in solemn prayer, and return God thanks for his goodness; nearly the whole congregation complied, and oh! what a hallowed sense of the Divine presence rested on the meeting. During the week I preached and held prayer meetings in several houses, and visited the whole of the members of our Society, together with other families who attend our chapel.

Nov. 6th. (Sunday.) I preached morning and evening-met two classes in the afternoon; visited the Sunday school, and was sorry to find that its usefulness was impeded for want of teachers. The congregations were larger than those of last Sabbath. In the evening, according to a previous announcement, I preached upon the importance and means to be employed to bring about a revival of religion. It was a season of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. May these drops be the prelude of a glorious shower of the Divine influence.

7th. (Monday.) This day I visited eleven families, and in the evening attended a prayer-meeting, held in the house of the family of our late brother Hay; it was well attended, and we felt the truth of that promise" Where two or three are met together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." On the following day I visited thirteen families in one family there

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was a young man apparently near death; found him to be very intelligent, but unable to rejoice in the knowledge of sins forgiven. In the evening I preached in our chapel on the necessity of ardent prayer to God.

9th. (Wednesday.) To-day I visited nine families, and in the evening preached in a house situated by the sea side, to a congregation of fishermen; the house was quite full, many could not gain admission; their attention was remarkable, and I believe many felt

"The speechless awe which dares not move, And all the silent heaven of love."

11th. (Friday.) Preached in a farm house, about five miles distant.

13th. (Sunday.) My labours of today have been the same as those of last Sabbath; the congregations have not been quite so good, in consequence of the very unfavourable state of the weather. May they be crowned with the Divine blessing.

15th. (Tuesday.) On the evening of this day I attended a church meeting of the members, and read the address of the Annual Assembly, which was listened to with great interest. 1 endeavoured to urge upon them the necessity of attention to class-meetings, the Sabbath-school, and of contributing to the utmost of their ability, towards supporting the cause. The following evening I preached to a house full of attentive hearers.

17th. On the evening of this day I held two meetings, one at half-past six, the other at eight o'clock, in another part of the town.

20th. (Sunday.) This has been a day of pleasure, and I trust also of profit. In the afternoon, I opened a new place

for preaching, at a small village called Duff's Hill. Upon inquiry, I found that this was the first religious service that had been held here for two years. We intend to preach here every alternate Sabbath. In the evening, I preached at the chapel to an increasingly large, respectable, and attentive congregation. The Lord opened my mouth and enlarged my heart, and the Spirit from on high was graciously at work upon the minds of many.

Such is a sketch of my labours for the first month amongst this people, and although there are several religious denominations in this place, yet the ocean is large enough for all the ships to sail over without running foul of each other. Our Society here has already been productive of much good: its members have principally been gathered out of the world; often have I wished, when visiting their humble dwellings, that I had been accompanied by some of the subscribers to this glorious cause, to hear them express their gratitude to God that ever they were brought under the sound of the Gospel in connection with the Association. The people generally are poor, but notwithstanding this, they are willing to do their utmost towards meeting the temporal necessities of the church. Several have engaged to become Missionary collectors-and you will be so kind as to forward in the next book parcel, one dozen Missionary Collecting Books. We take encouragement from the past, and praise God for those tokens of his approbation, with which he has already favoured us. His name do we lift up our banner; praying that the little one may become a thousand, and the small one a great nation." THOMAS NEWTON.

On Sunday, the 16th of October, Sermons were preached in aid of the Mission fund, by the Revds. A. Mackey, J. Peters, and J. Dunning. On the following Tuesday, a public Missionary meeting was held-the Rev. T. Townend in the Chair. After the opening speech from the chairman, and the

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reading of the report, the meeting was addressed by the Revds. Mackey, Peters, Dunning, and Hacking; and also by John and Edward Kipling, Esqrs. The services were well attended-the collections amounted to £50. 4s. 6d., in addition to £123, received by private contributions during the preceding year.

On Sunday, the 6th of November, the Annual Missionary Sermons were preached by the Revds. H. Tarrant, and T. Allen. On the following Tuesday, a public Missionary meeting was held. Thomas Booth, Esq. in the chair. Our friends resolved to make an extra effort

to assist the mission, and a much larger amount was raised than on the preceding anniversary.

The collections at these public services, added to the special contributions given in aid of the liquidation of the debt amounted to the sum of £266.