Subscriptions and Donations in aid of the Baptist Missionary Society will be thankfully received by W. B. Gurney, Esq., Treasurer, or the Rev. Joseph Angus, M.A., Secretary, at the Mission House, Moorgate Street, LONDON: in EDINBURGH, by the Rev. Christopher Anderson, the Rev. Jonathan Watson, and John Macandrew, Esq.; in GLASGOW, by Robert Kettle, Esq.; in DUBLIN, by John Parkes, Esq., Richmond Street; in CALCUTTA, by the Rev. James Thomas, Baptist Mission Press; and at NEW YORK, United States, by W. Colgate, Esq. GOOD TIDINGS. THE statements of our brethren who assembled at Dublin a few weeks ago, respecting the state of the churches under their care, were interesting and encouraging. The average increase during the previous year was nearly equal to that of the churches in the Baptist Union; and was considerably beyond that of the Canada Mission. Now, remembering the scantiness of our congregations, the peculiar difficulties meeting them at every step, and comparing them with the large audiences which assemble in our chapels in this country, the facilities for doing good in our sabbath-schools, among a population rather favourably disposed than otherwise to receive instruction, it is clear that if we have any reason to be thankful for the progress we have made at home, we have far more reason to rejoice in reference to Ireland. The contributions towards liquidating the debt are also very encouraging. We may not only hope that ere long it may be wholly removed, but the services of the present treasurer be permanently secured. Let the denomination but take up the Society as one of its own institutions, and regularly support it, and there is no mission which would afford them a richer reward. If the few, and necessarily feeble, efforts now made are telling upon the people (and the fierce opposition they excite proves it), what might we not expect from a more extended and better organized agency? We must labour on until this object be attained; and we indulge the hope that success is not far distant. The good tidings we have to tell from month to month, will sustain the zeal and liberality of those who have for many years supported the Society, stimulate those who have been somewhat half-hearted, and bring over those who have stood altogether aloof. It will require time and effort to do this; but while we can continue to show good reason that it ought to be done, it would betray a want of reliance on truth, if we despaired of success. PAT. BRENNAN writing in August states, that in visiting the poor as usual, he finds the reading of the scriptures, and the distribution of tracts, to be productive of increasing good. Many will read a tract that will not hear a preacher. A few days ago I met a man of this description, to whom I began to talk about the way to heaven. He paid great at tention, and said, You speak like a little book that I have; your words are just the same. I asked him how he got it, and I found a travelling man had given it to him. "And," said he, "before I got that little book, I thought it was a very dangerous thing to read the bible, but now I would not be kept from reading it by any man." On parting from him I gave him two tracts. I find the people of this neighbourhood willing to receive me, and I trust the Lord will bless his own word to the salvation of their immortal souls. Again, we have similar statements from PAT. MURRAY, who labours in another district, and at a considerable distance. The tracts which I distribute from day to day are gladly received; and one Romanist to whom I gave some, and accompanied them with a few simple remarks and the reading of the word, has given up the anti-Christian doctrines of Rome, to which he and his parents have all their days been wedded. There are many others who are reading and studying God's word, but who still feel disposed to remain as they are for a time, until they are prepared to give "an answer for the hope that is in them." We have also established a few places for religious meetings, where some Romanists do attend; and we have hopes that many others will follow their example. The following facts are interesting, and show the gradual progress of the truth, in spite of every opposition. They are selected from the journal of THOMAS СООКЕ. I told you in my last how the priests are trying in every way to prevent the people from hearing the scriptures read and explained, or from having the scriptures in their houses. But the opposition fails in many instances. The last Lord's day that you (Mr. B.) preached in C, I had a conversation with a woman, a Romanist. Her daughter, who walked behind us, heard our conversation, and seemed to delight in it very much. While you were conversing with the people, I had an opportunity of explaining to them the gospel message. When the woman reached home, it appeared, from what followed, that she had told all that she heard on the way to her husband and family. In a few days after, her son, a young man, came to my house to have a scriptural conversation, and to thank me for the instruction his mother and sister had received. He asked me for a copy of the New Testament. I gave him my little pocket one, which he received with great delight; and from it I read several passages, proving the church of Rome to be false, and in the apostasy. He thought I could give him an Irish one in the English character. I had none, but promised to get one for him. After a prayer-meeting at my house at eight o'clock, we proceeded to the river. It was a lovely morning; the tide fully up, and a large number of ships floated in the stream. As we came to the shore we saw above two hundred persons assembled, and anticipated some interruption. But when we came to the waterside, and worship commenced with singing, they drew near. When I opened the bible and commenced the address, they came closer. After preaching as earnestly and affectionately as I could, the Lord Jesus Christ as a Saviour, we went into the water, and I baptized the disciple. Many had never witnessed this ordinance before. Though the greater number were Romanists, persons of other persuasions were present. Instead of interruption, all was quiet, except an expression, here and there, it was well done-it must have been the ould way. PATRICK BRENNAN gives the following statement respecting the visit of Mr. Williams, a student of Bristol College, who spent his vacation itinerating through various parts of Connaught. Mr. Williams arrived here on the 8th. He preached the following evening in the schoolroom, and three times on the Lord's day. Next day we went to Cwhere we spent three days. He preached every day; and we passed much of our time in visiting the poor in their cabins, with whom we read and prayed. He was very kindly received by the Romanists. No fault was found with his preaching, except by one, who said that he kept too close to his text; said nothing about the church, but all about looking to Jesus, as poor guilty sinners. Mr. Williams told him, that if his text would be about the church, the charge would be right; but when there was nothing in the passage about the church, he had no right to bring that subject forward. The man, on seeing what Mr. Williams meant, admitted that he was right. And this circumstance will show what kind of preaching the poor Romanists are in the habit of hearing. Whatever passage of the word of God their priests will take for their text, it will be the infallibility of the church that will be the subject. We afterwards visited two other places, and had good congregations, who heard the word gladly. I have held many meetings for prayer this month, and distributed a good many tracts. The following letter from Mr. BATES, dated October 1, will show the difficulties which our brethren have to meet, as well as the effect of the Society's operations. The sabbath before last, the priest at mass mentioned my name and that of R. Moore, as persons respecting whom his people should beware. He had one of my tracts in his hand, saying, "Bates makes the balls, and Moore shoots them; but they ought to be torn to pieces;" then doing so, and throwing it down. He has visited several places, and demanded the tracts to be given up, but he did not get them. Another priest went into a poor family and commanded them to burn the Testament, but they would not; and the master of the house came last Sunday night, at Mullefarry, to hear me preach, and wished for tracts, which were given him a few days before, as he desired. The congregation was unusually large, as I had announced that I should preach against the sinfulness of horse-racing, dancing, &c. There was a racecourse here last week, and about ten or 1 twelve thousand people assembled, where all sorts of wickedness was carried on. We must not forget to direct sinners to Jesus, but such abominations must be exposed. People must be told what is wrong, as well as what is right. The school in this town is slowly, but steadily advancing. I have just been down and found twenty-two present. There are twenty-seven on the books, but the priest continues to annoy us, and all those catholics who came have withdrawn, and all who promised to come refuse to do so. We need much prayer and courage in this country. Oh for wisdom to act aright! I think that some of the catholics will come yet. If ever they get in to any amount, and like it, all the priests we have, I think, will not be able to prevent them from coming then. We need a few of the sons of Boanerges for this country, ---men of natural and moral greatness. JOHN NASH Continues to labour with untiring zeal and fidelity; and not without some tokens of success. He states, in a recent letter, some interesting facts; a few are subjoined. I went on my way, and came to a house where a large family lived. I read the word to them. The woman delighted so much in hearing the joyful sound, that she ran out calling her husband, who came in, two more accompanying him. They all paid attention, and seemed well pleased to hear, giving fre quent thanks to the Lord. The woman said to me, "I am confident religion must be in the heart." One of the men walked with me a part of my road, praising the book. I told of Jesus, the Saviour of sinners, that he was the "Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world." Where I lodged that night there were many people present. I set forth to them the word of life. A woman said, that mass was good for the soul. I replied, that all the masses that ever were read could not save her soul. Another woman, to whom I had given a Testament and some instructions, said, "where was the use of priests going on with ceremonies that were not understood, nor could edify poor ignorant people?" She replied, Because the devil does not understand Latin. On which the other rejoined, Then you count all that are hearing to the priests to be devils, for they don't understand Latin. The woman of the house had not another word to say. The next intelligence is from JOHN MONAGHAN. No one can read what follows without thankfulness and hope. Surely we need only increase such agency to secure a bountiful harvest, even in Ireland. I have, since my last, been as usual, engaged in reading the word from house to house, and am happy to say, that the good cause is still spreading amongst us. Many of the Roman catholics, as well as protestants, are reading the scriptures with great profit, I trust, to their own souls. Many, especially of the former, are beginning to see the object of their clergy in endeavouring to keep them in ignorance of the truths of God's word. In a house where I called a few weeks since, I met a few Romanists assembled. After reading several portions of scripture, one said, he wondered why the clergy should be opposed to the reading of so good a book. A woman present replied, "The clergy well know what they are about. They never spoke a word to my husband when he broke his pledge, nor whilst he was spending my support, and the support of his children, in a public house next door to the chapel. But as soon as they heard that my son was reading the bible, which this man gave him to read to me and his unfortunate father, they immediately held him up as a bible-reading deceiver. But now, blessed be God, we are beginning to see the value of that good book, and they shall not be able to keep us from reading it by all they can do." On another occasion I left a tract in a house where I saw the family reluctant to hear the scriptures read. Having called again in a few days, I inquired if they had read the tract. said she was very thankful for it; "but," sa d The woman answered in the affirmative, and she, "there are references in it, and we could not understand them at all." The tract being then produced, I read it; showing that the references were only to different portions of the scriptures, and read each portion as I proceeded from the bible. a Here the woman said, "if the bible be such book as that, we must all have been under a very great mistake about it; for from what we heard of it, we did not wish it should by any means be read in our house. But now I and read for us as often as you pass, and see our error, and you are welcome to call shall feel very thankful for it." Since my last I have read the scriptures to about 120 families, and to some of them repeatedly; distributed about 100 tracts, and four copies of the scriptures, all to Roman catholics, who have received them with great thanks, and I have reason to say that many of them are reading with great profit. Another reader gives additional testimony to the willingness of the people to |