the high road is a school and a convent of the Sisters of Mercy, we believe; and further on, nearer Fulham, is

another.

In the town ward there are three conventual establishments, occupied principally in conversion, and the chapel already mentioned. In the north ward of the parish is Dr. Manning's cathedral, another chapel, and three convents. How these chapels are filled may be judged from the fact, that on a certain Sunday, a few months back, we requested different friends to enter each one of them at high mass, and all were found to be even inconveniently filled. Nor must it be imagined that the parish of Kensington contains the Roman ecclesiastical establishments of the surrounding parishes. Paddington has its full complement; Fulham and Hammersmith, in proportion to their population, are as well supplied as Kensington; and Chelsea and Westminster, especially the latter, have, at least, four times the number of Roman Catholic establishments they had twelve years since.

Let us now inquire by what power this enormous increase of Romanism in the metropolis has arisen. Romish

priests are not seen preaching in the parks and highways. No newspapers, not even those of their own persuasion, trumpet forth their victories over heretical doctrines. They work, however, quietly and assiduously, but with immense success, and, to do them justice, many of the agencies employed by them are of a description so closely approaching to our Protestant received notions of pure theology and good works, that it would be difficult, even while dreading the result, not to admire. Among the first of these is the good understanding and perfect continuity which appear to exist between their clergy and their congregations. Though separated artificially far more distinctly from each other than the Protestant clergy and their flocks, a perfect unity of action seems to pervade them, and they, in all sincerity, appear to be working for the same especial object, the aggrandizement and extension of their faith. Although, in their proselytising exertions, the priesthood is their grand motive power, their executive are the conventual establishments, and the still more powerful lay agencies. Of these last, without any comparison, the confraternities of St. Vincent de Paul are the most energetic and successful.

Has the reader any idea of the number and power of these propagandists in

London alone, or to what extent they are spread over Protestant countries? Habenech quotes their entire number, upon what authority we know not, at 700,000. It is impossible to give their exact numbers in London, so jealously is any information on the subject kept from the knowledge of the public; but in every parish the writer has visited for the purpose of obtaining information on the subject, they have invariably exceeded the number of Church of England district visiters; and it should be remembered that the confraternity are solely for men, the women on their side acting apart with equal energy, unity, and discretion.-Christian Work.

EGYPT.-The following letter appears in "Christian Work" for June:-The reports from Cairo have, of late, been of a most interesting character. Just after I left, there was a bitter persecution from the Patriarch and some of his people, but it seemed only to drive our brethren-both the Missionaries and the natives-to God in wrestling prayer; and the result was that soon there were several prayer-meetings in different parts of the city, and, strange to say, one of them in the patriarchate. This seemed to disarm persecution, nay, more, to bring down the blessing of God; and soon there was a marked revival, especially in the girls' schools. The first of it was that one of the girls, Bamba, the daughter of an Abyssinian woman, went to Miss Dales to talk about her soul, and Miss Dales found that she gave evidence of a change of heart, and, on visiting her mother, that for some time she had been reading to her and praying with her. The next morning, when Miss Dales went into the school-room, she found the elder girls absent, and, asking for them, she found them in the infant school-room upon their knees, weeping and praying. This was the beginning of the work, and quietly and deeply it seems since to have progressed.

In Upper Egypt, also, the work seems to progress. Brother Hagg writes: "Matters in the Fayoum are as interesting as ever, and one of us should go there as soon as possible. Osiout, too, seems ready for the preached Gospel. Bashvi visited one hundred and one towns and villages in the 'Morning Star,' (the small vessel fitted out last year for ascending the canals, and thus gaining access to the villages at a distance from the Nile,) and sold books to the value of £78. He preached in most of the churches, and was welcomed every

and Pagans 201... 26,412 ... 13-0

From this table it will be seen that the Protestant denominations have nearly all progressed, within the decade, at s rate exceeding that of the Roman Catholics. The Protestant increase was 6.5 per cent. on the whole, and the Roman Catholic increase 61 per cent. on the whole. The comparison between the two years, 1857 and 1861, however, shows somewhat better for the latter body. Within these four years, according to the returns, the Protestant denominations increased by 83,934, or 28 per cent.; and the Roman Catholics by 32,478, or 42 per cent. Taken sepa rately, the rate of increase was:--in the Church of England body, 21 per cent.; amongst the Presbyterians, 32 per cent.; and amongst the Wesleyan-Methodists, 64 per cent. The above figures will show that, although the Roman Catholic body had a temporarily large acces sion of numbers between 1857 and 1861 -owing, no doubt, to certain causes which are, fortunately, no longer in operation-there is not the slightest real ground for the assertion that has been made in one of the daily journals, to the effect that this particular denomination is gaining upon the others in a degree that bids fair to place it ere long at the head of the churches in Victoria. As yet it barely numbers one-half as many adherents as the Church of England, and only 42 per cent.-or about one twenty-fourth-of the population more than the Presby terians.-Christian Work.

older persons, especially of the pious and the good. This was an advantage to her, and was one principal cause, probably, of that early consecration to God's service which resulted in her exemplary life. Physical weakness delayed, and repeatedly interrupted, her education; but it was in a boarding-school at Alford, when about fifteen years of age, that she first fully gave her heart to God and sought and found mercy in Christ. In June, 1835, she united herself to the church of Christ. Feeling the importance of a consistent deportment, it became her determination to live so that others, "seeing her good works, might glorify her heavenly Father. Her great longing was that her life should show the power of true religion. To this end she made Christ, and "the mind that was in Him," her study. "Effort accompanied desire, and while desire returned to its native source for all needful help," her holy living evinced the genuineness of the grace which was preparing her for the course so soon to open before her. In June, 1836, her mother's precarious state of health compelled her to return home. New anxieties soon met her. In October of the same year it pleased God to deprive her of her beloved parent. Being the eldest, except one, of a family of nine children, domestic responsibilities fell largely on her. Yet she displayed a capability beyond her years. Naturally amiable and benevolent, and with the principles of the word of God regulating her whole being, she evenly pursued her way, making religion the business of her life. Family cares did not cripple her energies as a visiter of the sick, a tractdistributer, or a Missionary collector: she cheerfully relieved herself in her weariness by change of work. Being the first in the family who was converted to God, her decision and earnestness were made a blessing to the rest. To her prayers and influence they thankfully attribute either the commencement, or the increase, of their own enjoyment of religion.

On the 29th of August, 1842, she was united to Mr. Smith, and removed to Cambridge. During eighteen years of married life, amidst an increasing family, enlarging responsibilities, and new opportunities of usefulness, her energies found unremitting exercise. She was

unobtrusive in her character and mode of action, but a social disposition gained her many friends. Humble in her views of self, to a degree of timidity, and often suffering from bodily weakness, it was at times no small effort to her to follow the

dictates of the Spirit and the promptings of her heart. Nevertheless, in the struggle between duty and fear, the spirit and the flesh, she triumphed over every difficulty, rejoicing that God "giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might He increaseth strength." Intercourse with God she held as her highest privilege. But while she diligently prayed in secret, she availed herself no less constantly of the help af forded by social prayer. One circumstance which conduced to this was the engagement, soon after she entered on the charge of her father's household, of a governess likeminded with herself. They worked together with one heart and mind, and it was their daily custom to retire for reading and prayer. This friend says, "The seasons we spent together at the mercy-seat in our room at Wilton, and in dear old Nanny's cottage, will never be forgotten." In perfect harmony with this was the prac tice of taking her children with her in their earliest years into retirement, to read to them the word of God, and to supplicate the throne of grace for their early conversion.

In the year 1853, she was appointed a class-leader in the Cambridge Society. She entered on this office with diffidence and trembling. To her latest days the discharge of the duties connected with it was a cross to her; but, relying on the promise of grace to help, she faithfully laboured on for several years in a service which was rendered precious to many souls. The anxiety and toil, however, which she bestowed on this sphere of labour did not arrest her efforts to promote the spiritual interests of those immediately around her. It was not unusual for members of her household to open their troubled hearts to her, and she gladly afforded them her Christian counsel, and prayed with and for them. At favourable opportunities, also, she was accustomed to read, converse, and pray with her servants. Her enlarged heart led her far beyond the pale of her home; she "went about doing good." No act of self-denial was deemed too great, could she by any means either temporally or spiritually contribute to another's advantage. Having respect to the recompense of reward," she laboured that she might finish her course with joy, and was consequently distinguished by a uniform exhibition of "the fruit of the Spirit," and a well-developed Christian character.

In the spring of 1860, providential darkness overshadowed her path. To

the care of her family and household was added much attention to business, owing to a severe affliction of her husband. She was his sole attendant for many sleepless nights, and her mental and physical powers were taxed to the full. Death suddenly removed a very dear uncle, and thus added to her grief. But in her daily task she still cheered herself and others by her song of "the goodness of the Lord." When she could be spared awhile from the scene of her usual toil, it was to drink of the spiritual joys to be found in God's house, to assemble with two or three gathered together in Christ's name, or to visit the sick and sorrowful.

Her busy and benevolent life, however, was now soon to come to a close. Evidence was given of the exhaustion of vital energy by the gradual failure of her eyesight. This affliction rapidly increased, and was one of which she said, "I have found it hard work to say in this matter, 'Thy will be done."" Naturally of active habits, with eight dear children, she could not without a struggle submit to become useless (as she termed it) in her own family. Divine grace, however, enabled her to leave herself in this respect, also, in the hands of Him "who doeth all things well." Advised by an oculist that quietude and cessation from all business were needful, on September the 14th, 1860, she left Cambridge in company with a friend (since also gone to her reward) to join her husband at their marine cottage in Lincolnshire. There she suddenly finished her course. After a few days of increas ing suffering and debility, characterized by her wonted diligence in attendance on the means of grace, and in spiritual intercourse with her friends, and while contemplating a visit to her relatives in the neighbourhood, she sank with little or no warning into the arms of death. But a little while before, she had said, "I hope it is not wrong of me, but how I long to be gone: this poor frame of mine is such a clog :-

"O, what a mighty change

Shall Jesu's sufferers know!
While o'er the happy plains they range,
Incapable of woe."

Through life, the impression that her death might be sudden kept her waiting for the coming of our Lord. The abundant testimony of those who had the privilege of associating with her was, that she had recently been richly matured for a holier clime, and for that endless rest into which she has entered.

H. H.

ELIZABETH, the beloved wife of the Rev. John COOPER, was born at Harrowden-Mill, near Wellingborough, October 8th, 1827, and died at Finedon-Lodge, July 14th, 1862. In very early life she was a subject of the gracious workings of the Spirit of God, and from childhood manifested filial obedience. Her young heart cherished a deep regard for hymns and sacred poetry, for the word of God, and for the house of God. Religion was seen and felt to be the one thing needful, and intercourse with the people of God was sought as a means of deepening and increasing her gracious feelings. Her first ticket of membership with the Methodist Society bears date, September, 1843, while she was yet a scholar at Biggleswade. She did not, however, obtain a clear sense of pardoning mercy, and of adoption into the family of God, for two and a half years from this period. During a gracious revival which took place in connexion with the Society and congregation worshipping in the Wesleyan chapel at Finedon, under a sermon preached by the Rev. Samuel Wesley, from Mark ii. 10, "The Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins," many were awakened to a sense of the sinfulness of sin, and to a desire for forgiveness. They drew near to the mercy-seat, sought and availed themselves of the counsel and the prayers of God's people, "with the heart believed unto righteousness, and with the mouth made confession unto salvation." Under that sermon Mrs. Cooper also obtained an assurance of the Divine favour. Diffident and retiring in her disposition, and afraid of presuming too much in reference to her acceptance with God, the adversary sometimes gained an advantage over her. Her peace was thus disturbed, but she continued to wait on God; her strength was renewed, and she was enabled to walk without fainting. Her piety was consistent, yet quiet and unobtrusive. In her pro

fession of religion there was nothing of display; but her path was that of the just, which is "as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Few more effectually "served their generation by the will of God.' The Missionary cause found in her a zealous collector, and the Sabbathschool a willing and efficient teacher, so long as she had the opportunity to engage in these departments of Christian service. She ever regarded home as the proper sphere of woman's labour, and to that, after her marriage, she gave her