ciency of the system that multiplies teachers who claim to be the only authorized instructors of the people; the latter the result of a deficiency of employment, or of wages totally inadequate to support the labourer and his family. Enduring great privations, some being destitute of religious principle, madly destroy the fruits of the earth, and in an hour consume what might sustain some hundreds of human beings!

The first extracts refer to this unlawful and ruinous state of things, in certain counties that the public prints hardly refer to as suffering from the acts of incendiaries. It will be seen how such a state of things tends to prevent the influence of true religion.

Incendiary Fires.

A Missionary in Dorset thus writes ;

"The work of incendiarism has made fearful progress in this neighbourhood. Six attempts to burn various houses were made within twentyfour hours; four were soon extinguished; two were attended with great destruction of property; and a very recent attempt was also defeated by timely assistance. At a neighbouring village upwards of twenty houses have been destroyed by incendiary fires within a few months, and other cases around us might be enumerated. "This is a fearful state of things. Property is unsafe; and although it is doubtful whether the incendiaries are really necessitous persons, yet, doubtless, poverty, ignorance, poaching, and beer-houses, which exist here to an awful extent, have produced the present state of things. To cultivate this moral wilderness, the friends at B-W- have laboured long and hard, with very limited means. They commenced when there was but one service at the Church, for which the tithe amounted to about 20007. per annum. They have persevered, and the Sunday-school, in connection with the preaching of the gospel, has proved an incalculable blessing to many. But their labours of love are viewed by the vicar as dangerous innovations, not to be tolerated, if it be possible to crush them. For this purpose, no menace is left untried: many dare not enter the chapel; some are afraid to receive a tract into their houses.

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By great perseverance, this opposition has been successfully withstood. We have now about 130 children connected with our day and Sunday-schools, and an excellent library. The books are exchanged every fortnight; also several copies of the Home Missionary Magazine, and about thirty of the CHRISTIAN WITNESS, are circulated monthly. An excellent room, thirtyfour feet by eighteen feet, is now building for a day-school, and week evening classes. When the foundation was laid the children were assembled, and, after an excellent address by the Rev. T. Wallace, of B-, a public meeting was held, and very appropriate addresses delivered; and it is hoped there will be no delay in finishing the building for the want of means; we, therefore, most earnestly solicit assistance of the friends of education, that the work may go on."

"To estimate Home Missionary labour, and to judge correctly of each sphere in which the agent moves, our metropolitan friends should know the state of the country-your agent has observed a great change for the worse since he occupied his present station-through an extensive district, entirely agricultural, chiefly in the relative position of master and labourer.

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Wages are considerably reduced, and not only that, but the farmer is turning off all the hands that he can possibly dispense with. Many, therefore, are out of employ, and have no means of getting a livelihood. They are told to go into the Union, of which they have an instinctive dread. The man becomes sullen and revengeful, and ripe for mischief. Depredations, robberies, and incendiarisms are continually taking place. In this state of things, the mass of our agricultural population are heedless of all means of moral and religious improvement. They will even refuse a tract, and I lament to say, that in many instances which I have met with, the reply is, 'It is no use to me, I can't read it.' O'tis a true maxim, that poverty tends to crime. Though wages are lower, yet the beer-shops are full as soon as they can get a penny to spend; the consequence of which is, that the cottager's once happy home is now a scene of wretchedness.

"The rural clergy are aware of the evil, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, in the true spirit of Puseyism, has ordered the clergy to have services every morning. The church bell in this town tolls every morning, and eight or nine attend. We have indeed much to contend with, much to retard our labours and success; but setting aside the instances of usefulness which occur, how accumulated would the mass of evils become, if missionary labours were to cease at home, where with all our predilections in favour of Britain, a large proportion of her Christian population are in a state of appalling heathenism, living without hope and without God in the world! May the Lord pour out his Spirit from on high !"

The next extracts will furnish evidence to show that advantage is taken of the poverty and dependent condition of the peasantry by the Oxford school clergy, by a bold and determined interference with the religious liberties of the poor. These men think they are doing right in using every influence to oblige them to keep from the Dissenting chapel. Should we not consider it right to protect and assist those who suffer for righteousness' sake? A few passages gleaned from a large number will put the reader in possession of the spirit and zeal still displayed by the successors of the apostles, and the petty, and in some instances serious, injury done to the labourer. A missionary in Leicestershire thus writes:

"Our congregations continue good everywhere, though the basest of means are used to induce' the people to leave. The clergymen of the Church of England are my chief opposers. The people who attend my ministry are menaced, abused, ejected from their houses, deprived of charities, their children insulted and ill-used at the endowed school, and every other un-Christian practice that can be resorted to, is, both to punish for coming to chapel and to deter others from it. Our farmer, the churchwarden, is a member of my congregation, was told by the Puseyite priest, 'he would be damned if he did not go to church.' Another was told while on his way to meeting, that that was the way to hell.' A third was told by the same official, that it was only the spirit of the devil and pride which led the people to dissent.' These are a few of the specimens of pitiable opposition we have encountered during the past year. Yet you will be happy to know, that

the people, without an exception, have continued stedfast and unmoved. We have not lost one. This we ascribe under God to the power of truth, which it is the object of your missionary to declare in all its great principles and bearings."

says,

Another Missionary in Oxfordshire "Were it not for the hope that your Agents participate in the sympathies and prayers of the Directors and British Christians generally; were it not for the conviction that they promulgate the unadulterated truth of God in simplicity and godly sincerity; and were it not for the fact that the great Head of the church indicates his approbation of their labours by occasional instances of usefulness, they must yield to the various hostile powers with which they have to contend. But inspired with such a hope, possessing such a conviction, and blessed with such indications, they are enabled still to say, 'None of these things move us.' At Great H where your Agent has had to struggle with priestly assumptions and Tractarian errors, there is much to encourage. It has often been to me a matter of delightful surprise to see so many listening with deep attention to the word of life, notwithstanding the unholy influence employed to deter them from coming to hear me. Some of them have been told by the worthy and apostolic Curate, that they have sold their souls; others have been threatened with the withdrawment of the annual favours, one of which is rather of an imposing character, viz., about 12 cwt. of coals to each family; yet in the face of these things the congregation is upon the increase, and often consists of seventy attentive hearers. The little band of believers is united and active; and this is to be attributed to the influence of social prayer."

"We rejoice to say, that notwithstanding a combination of opposition, the congregation at the chapel continues gradually to increase. How humiliating is the fact that Englishmen who boast of their national privileges, are reduced to the necessity of striking out from the list the most invaluable of all-Religious liberty!

"Those who live and labour amidst the picturesque scenery of a rural district, have ample opportunity of proving this fact. In the distribution of parochial favours, Dissenters are studiously avoided; nor is this all, starvation, or the Union, is the punishment, awarded to the crime of Nonconformity. A single case will serve in illustration. Not many months since, a poor unhappy inebriate was prevailed upon to attend our sanctuary; he became a serious and attentive hearer, took sittings for himself and family, was regular in his attendance upon our ministry, and we had begun to indulge the hope that a brighter day was about to dawn upon his benighted soul, when he was seen to absent himself from public worship. I sought an opportunity of conversing with him upon the subject, and inquired the cause of the change. 'Sir,' said he, 'your instructions are not forgotten, nor have I altogether left you; you will I hope see me again; but, for some time past I have been employed under - and you have no idea of the life they have led me about the chapel; I know they are wrong, but what can I do, I have a family-and my bread is there.' Our sabbath school is very promising."

The Missionary fearful that the poor man may be injured, if the above fact should come to the

ears of his employer, adds in a note, "the name of the county is not to be given."

One of the most impolitic things that can be done by the gentry and the farmers, is to encourage the clergy in this crusade against the religious liberty even of peasants. They cannot afford to alienate the minds or to lose the respect of the best portion of the country population. But for the Christian churches-those little collections of steady, holy, and consistent believersdouble the number of rural police would be unavailing in many districts. We might easily prove that no greater evil could happen to any part of England than to break up the communities of converted men who associate for religious purposes. There can be no doubt but that they are the true Conservatives in many an ignorant and immoral and restless district.

But this fanatical earnestness to keep the people from the instructions of the unauthorized teacher, urges the priest to the bedside of the sick and dying. It is no small trial to our missionaries to find that delusion is practised on the poor sinner about to appear before his Maker. Our agents are very frequently called upon to visit the sick and dying, so that it forms a most important branch of usefulness, yet one of great responsibility. They have but one object in view-to bring the sinner to repentance and faith in Christ.

Such are some of the trials and difficulties of the agents of the Home Missionary Society. The next month will contain more pleasant accounts, and report the progress of God's work in the midst of adverse influences. The Directors are daily receiving proofs of the value of the Society in many districts, and only regret their inability to extend their help to many districts calling loudly for assistance. They would greatly rejoice to be able to respond to the applications from various counties. They feel confident that it is unnecessary to say one word more on the present occasion to excite the anxious and prayerful concern of all true patriots on behalf of their country. The security of property is diminishing every hour, while the havoc of the incendiary is, for the most part, undiscriminating. The righteous and the wicked are involved in one common ruin. The pious farmer who retires to rest amid quiet and comfort, may, any night, awake to survey his premises enveloped in flames, or go forth in the morning to behold the fruits of his fields, the labours of a year, reduced to ashes! In the course of the recent Adjourned Meetings of the Congregational Union at Norwich some most appalling facts of this description were stated by one of the rural pastors. What may not be dreaded from benighted men, without the fear of God, without labour, and without bread, when they are once driven to desperation!

N.B. The New Year's Gift Cards for 1845 are now ready. Applications from pastors and other friends, for any number, if made to the Secretaries, 4, Blomfield-street, will be immediately attended to. The Directors are anxious that this important source of income should, if possible, be augmented. They therefore hope that many new applications will be made during this month for these cards, four of which can now be sent under cover for one penny. The whole sum obtained last year was £753. congregations raised each a considerable amount. The Tabernacle Auxiliary, in addition to other

Some

subscriptions, collected by this simple plan £29 48. 8d., being the largest sum raised in England for Home Missions by one congregation, through the medium of New Year's Cards.

COLONIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
ESTABLISHED IN 1836.

THIS Society is at present engaged in no enterprises of greater interest and importance than the efforts of Mr. Gallaway to establish a church at St. John's, New Brunswick; and of Dr. Carruthers to establish a second church in Montreal, Canada East. In neither of these enterprises could the object aimed at be effected without the erection of a spacious and respectable chapel. This is an arduous undertaking in a colonial city, and in connection with no other strength than that possessed by the first elements of a newly gathered people. However in both the instances now alluded to, this work has been manfully undertaken by our brethren and their faithful friends. With the Divine blessing, they will prosecute it to a successful result. In the meantime the Colonial Society must sustain the pastors. Without this co-operation the work could not even be attempted, much less carried through. But when the chapels have been reared, filled with worshippers, and paid for— the people will not only sustain their own pastors and worship, but contribute to spread the Gospel in the regions around them and beyond them. Such has already been the case in Quebec, Toronto, Sidney, and the first church in Montreal, of which Mr. Wilkes is pastor.

The following extracts of letters from Mr. Gallaway, and from the deacons of Dr. Carruthers's church, will show the encouraging progress made in both instances.

Extract from a letter of Mr. Gallaway, dated St. John's, 27th of August, 1844:

"Our building advances. It will be roofed in this week. Our subscription list now amounts to nearly TWELVE HUNDRED POUNDS. Still this sum when fully paid up will fall very far short of our expenditure. While we have felt it our duty to erect a substantial and commodious building, and one which in appearance would be no discredit to us and to our denomination, we have rigidly studied economy. Three important items in building-bricks, land, and labour-are in St. John very dear. Our land cost £660, and is considered cheap. Labourers are now getting five and six shillings a day. The entire cost of the building and land, exclusive of galleries which we dispense with at first, will be £3000. Hence our need of further help from our mother land, for without it we shall enter the building under a very heavy burden of debt. You allude to my having taken some part in originating the CHRISTIAN WITNESS. It is certainly a great privilege to have been permitted to help forward that good work. How little I thought when advocating that measure that I was destined to receive so much gratification from it. It reaches me regularly once a month, and if it would have pleased me to read it in your land of light and privileges, how much greater is that delight in my present expatriated and isolated position ! The thought has floated across my mind-will it be proper for me to express it? Is it too presumptuous? Well, the thought is this, if every reader of the CHRISTIAN WITNESS would subscribe one

shilling towards our new chapel at St. John's, we should escape all our difficulties, and soon relieve the funds of the Colonial Society of at least the principal part of my support, as well as extend some pecuniary help to one or two weak interests in these provinces just stepping into existence, which will naturally look to us for assistance. Some of my friends here have suggested the desirableness of my taking a voyage to England to lay our case before the churches. But this I am very unwilling to do. Why should the work cease while I come over to you? No, I feel quite disposed to leave our case in the hands of friends at home."

Extracts from a letter of Messrs. Savage and Birks, deacons of the second Congregational church in Montreal, dated 12th Sept., 1844:

"The fact that our infant community, which nineteen months ago commenced with only seventeen members, now numbers between seventy and eighty, while every succeeding month witnesses new instances of real conversion, and consequent accession to the church, furnishes encouraging evidence of the Divine blessing on the labours of our pastor.

"Our place of worship was opened on the 16th of August, on which occasion the Rev. H. Wilkes preached the dedicatory discourse. The Rev. T. Atkinson, of Quebec, preached in the morning of the following sabbath; our pastor, Dr. Carruthers, in the afternoon; and in the evening the Rev. Mr. Cramp, principal of the Baptist College in this city. The attendance has since been very respectable, and we have reason to expect that in a few months, a considerable number of the pews will be let. The gross amount of debt on our building after all outstanding subscriptions have been collected, will be £2000. As contrary to our sanguine expectations, we have not received, and are not now likely to receive, any remittances from England towards the liquidation of this debt, we have resolved on putting forth every effort to reduce it by our own exertions. The recent papers that have appeared on the subject of the 'Church members' penny,' have attracted our attention, and the church has resolved forthwith to commence a subscription of this kind. A special subscription has been entered into towards the minister's support. We trust this explanation of our circumstances will be satisfactory. We are deeply sensible of our obligations as a church to the Colonial Missionary Society, and will do our utmost to place ourselves in a position gradually to relieve its funds, and to secure our entire independence of foreign aid. You may rest assured that we shall keep this object steadily in view. Dr. Carruthers' labours as a pastor and a tutor are duly appreciated, and we cannot but think that God has yet much to accomplish by his instrumentality in this city and colony. He has won the affections of his people, and nothing in their power will be left undone to promote his comfort, and to co-operate with him in his schemes of usefulness. We must not forget to add that the utmost fraternal harmony and love prevail among us as a church. No root of bitterness has yet sprung up to trouble us, and there seems no reason to doubt that we shall continue to enjoy the inestimable blessing of peace. Much ignorance prevails in the community around us as to the distinctive principles of our denomination, but light is spreading, and to aid its progress, our pastor has undertaken at our request to prepare a short treatise on the subject, which we think will be of great service."