which we are rather glad of, as it will give a chance to disseminate the truth. "We are obliged, of course, to be constantly on our guard. We ask your prayers that our lives may long be spared, to accomplish the work for which we believe the Lord has sent us here."

Mission to Spain.

SANTANDER-A CHAPEL SECURED.

Mr. Wm. H. Gulick wrote from Santander March 11, respecting his congregation there, his efforts to secure a chapel, and the opening service there, as follows:

"I mentioned in my last that, for our use on the previous Sabbath, a French gentleman, a Roman Catholic, living in the same house with us, opened a storeroom on the ground floor of this building, and that it was filled with about two hundred and fifty persons. The two following Sabbaths we held our services in the largest public hall of the city, being the only place that we could secure and that at an hour that did not very well suit us. The attendance, however, was good — a promiscuous audience, reaching, on the second Sabbath, to nearly three hundred and seventy-five, well filling the room and giving good attention.

"Meanwhile I had succeeded in renting a commodious store-room for our meetings, and on the following Sabbath, the 23rd of February, we held the first services in our own 'chapel,' amidst the noise, the frolicking, and the excitements of the opening day of Carnival. The air was full of the din of ringing bells, and the streets were alive with masqueraders. There were, how ever, about eighty persons present at our services, who listened well to a sermon on the text' Christ is all.' The noise on the streets was frequently so great as nearly to drown my voice; but with all the drawbacks, it was to us a memorable occasion. It was the first time in the history of Spain, that a place for regular public worship, of an evangelical character, had been opened in Santander. We could not but thank God that he had called us to do this work for him; and we plead with him, that upon the foundations now being laid in faith and

prayer, he would, in due time, build a pure and spiritual church.

"The attendance on the two Sabbaths since then, has risen to about one hundred and thirty-five. We begin to see now, what we have wondered at not seeing earlier, the result of a satisfied curiosity, and, probably, of a more thorough apprehension on the part of many, that we are not of the true church.' We cannot yet say that we have even the basis of a permanent congregation. Our audiences are, in the main, changing throngs of curious listeners, well behaved, and generally attentive, but evidently coming to hear or to see something new. We are happy, however, to have the opportunity to preach the gospel even to such, for we know not between the joints of whose harness the Spirit may send the truth and touch the heart."

On the 30th of April he wrote again:"I am happy to be able to report that the attendance on our meetings has continued at an average of about eighty, among whom there are some twenty who come with perfect regularity, and listen with evident interest. We pray that the Holy Spirit may soon convert some souls amongst us.

"We are not troubled by the Carlists in any way, except as their operations along the line of the railroad of the north, that brings in all the foreign mails by the way of western France, disturbs every one who is dependent at all for his comfort on the certainty and regularity of his correspondence. What we do feel, however, markedly enough in this community, is the stir and bustle, not to say excitement, connected with the arming and drilling of the new volunteer republican regiments. It is a new era in Spain, this 'arming of the people;' and while it creates honest apprehensions in some minds, it certainly more or less excites all. This busy little city of Santander, than which there is none more peaceable and law abiding in all Spain, has already raised her regiment of a full thousand strong, composed largely of artisans, shop-keepers, and the more thrifty laborers, who are active day and night, Sundays and week days, in the all absorbing military drill. This preoccupa

I

"I am sorry to learn that you have felt anxiety regarding us in Barcelona. hope my letters-one each in March and April - have shown you that there has been nothing special to fear. The fact is, I never led a more quiet life, nor one less exposed to dangers. The excitements in Barcelona, which have been so grossly exaggerated by the foreign newspapers, have been mainly in the interests of freedom and order, and were a credit rather than otherwise to the self-governed populace. The country around is sadly agitated, and we are experiencing the results in the increased cost of living; but otherwise Barcelona is untouched, and we have good reason to hope it will continue to be. You must not, however, believe the reports which you are undoubtedly receiving about the utter defeat of the Carlist cause. That element of discord is by no means ended, though it has of late experienced consider

able disaster.

"On the 1st inst., we had a public examination of our Girls' Boarding School, and on the 5th we shall re-open for the closing quarter of the school year. Mrs. Gulick has a Bible class for women on Sabbath afternoons, and a meeting with them Tuesday afternoons, in our house, at which fifteen to twenty attend. She has also undertaken to continue a Benevolent Sewing Society, commenced by a lady now returned to England.

"The sick poor come so frequently to me for medical assistance, that I must before long devise some missionary dispensary system. Mr. Alexy has given up his select school, and has opened a night school as an experiment. We are hoping soon to secure another place for a chapel, better adapted to our needs.

I am happy to report that we have surmounted some of the impediments to union among the several evangelical denominations working in Barcelona, and that we now hold a public meeting once a month, in rotation, in the various chapels of Barcelona, in which all unite.

"The canard about the collapse of the evangelical work in Madrid, is but a single specimen of what will doubtless often be attempted against the good cause."

In a more recent letter, dated May 20, Dr. Gulick speaks of political matters at Barcelona as "looking worse" than at any previous time.

Our

"When circumstances require a mission to devote its main strength to the study of the languages peculiar to the field, there is but little progress to report, except in mastering the needed languages. teachers say of us, 'You are advancing by rapid strides.' We are painfully anxious to reach that proficiency which will warrant our entering, with full strength and full time, upon active and aggressive work. There is opportunity to do an important work with German books and tracts, but as yet we have used but few, as we purpose to put no literature in circulation until satisfied that it is adapted to the work in hand. Something has been already done, and with encouraging re

sults.

"Let me give you, briefly, several incidents which illustrate, in some measure, the need of Christian work and prayer here. They come to us from reliable

sources.

IMAGE WORSHIP.

"In a Bohemian village, a potter of unusual skill devoted part of his time to making images of 'saints.' On one occasion he had such remarkable success that his neighbors could not wait for the image to dry before they embraced it, adoringly.

This, of course, disfigured the saint and annoyed the potter. But it awakened such reflection as, with God's blessing, led him to renounce error and come directly to the Saviour. 'These people,' said he to himself, as he afterwards related, are certainly very stupid to act so over an image which I have made. Such devotion must be worthless. I ought not to make images'! His training, under priestly influence, while it kept him from coming at once to the light, did not prevent farther thought, as follows: 'If the people had waited until the priest had consecrated the image, then their devotion would have been proper.' But this thought satisfied him only a moment, for he remembered that the priests had not yet consecrated several images which he had made, and which had been placed by the wayside, although they knew the people were adoring them every day. 'Now,' said he, 'the priests are either lazy or else they know very well that the consecration of the image does not add to its value'! The potter was thus led to seek instruction in the way of life, and he is now rejoicing in the privilege of coming directly to the Saviour. Therefore, being justified by faith, he has peace with God; but there are doubtless not a few in this land who make a superstitious use of images in worship. On and near churches, and on bridges, there is no lack of images, and to see people before them in devout adoration is no uncommon sight."

A REMARKABLE CONFESSION.

"It is so seldom that a Romanist says anything in favor of Protestantism that the following confession is truly remarkable. A servant, who had been for some time in the employ of a prominent Catholic official, was afterwards engaged by a Protestant family. At first curiosity led her to attend church with them; but soon the truth which she there heard made her a regular attendant. About this time she met her former employer, who accosted her familiarly: My daughter, how are you prospering these days?' 'Quite well, I thank you,' she replied; still I fear I am not doing just right, for I now attend the Lutheran church.' 'You need

not fear to go there,' said the official; 'you will receive more truth from them than from us.' There are doubtless not a few among the Catholics who in heart make the same confession, but who have not the frankness to say is openly, nor the courage to take a correspondingly consistent position."

JESUITICAL LOGIC.

“A nobleman here was repeatedly urged by his wife to go to the confessional; but he as often declined, urging that, as he could not believe in the infallibility of the Pope, the priest would not grant him absolution. At length he yielded to his wife's entreaties and presented himself before the priest. Various questions were asked, but none relating to infallibility. The nobleman then told him frankly, 'I do not believe in the infallibility of the Pope.' To this the priest replied, 'We will not consider it this time,' and he pronounced absolution. A few days after this occurrence the nobleman met a distinguished Jesuit, and as his mind was not at rest, he asked him; 'Is absolution of any value when pronounced by a priest in favor of one who plainly asserts his disbelief in papal infallibility?' 'But,' said the Jesuit, are you quite sure that you do not believe in papal infallibility?' 'I cannot,' said the other, 'accept such an unreasonable doctrine.' But,' continued the Jesuit, you accept the doctrine of the Trinity?'

Certainly.' 'And do you understand it?' 'No.' 'But you accept it, and you must in like manner believe in papal infallibility.' The nobleman thought a moment, and replied, 'I see it now, I am convinced.' How strange that a man accustomed to do any thinking for himself should be deceived by such fallacious reasoning! One can but pity the multitudes here who are expected to place the mere statements of men on an equality with doctrines which rest upon the plain declarations of God's Word. A field like this, where there is so much of error, so much of Sabbathbreaking, infidelity, and rationalism, calls earnestly for faithful prayer and self-denying Christian work. The churches must not forget Austria in the monthly concert and at the family altar."

Natcho was taken in the same way. In spite of the best care and medical advice to be obtained, the disease increased upon him, until the evening of the 6th of January, when his spirit quietly passed away. In the words of a missionary sister in the field, Our Father has touched every one of us in the missionary circle, in the very apple of the eye. He has taken from us our dearly beloved brother, Natcho. Yesterday afternoon funeral services were held at the girls' school-room, and all that remained of our dear brother was laid away from our sight. No one need tell you the hope we had centered in this devoted, truly consecrated man. How we depended upon him in our mission work, both present and future, you know. But the Lord tells us, "My thoughts are not your thoughts." Trusting fully in infinite wisdom and love, we would heartily say, "Thy will be done." The last day and evening of his life he was unconscious, and so left no last words. Indeed, no testimony of peace and trust in a loved and loving Saviour, was needed from him. All felt that in his every-day life he knew a near and precious union with Christ.'

"And so this humble, faithful, earnest servant of God has gone thus early to his rest. I never knew one of whom it might more truly be said, 'He walked with God, and was not, for God took him.' I had felt sure if God should permit me to return to my beloved work among his countrymen of the warmest grasp from his hand, and the most hearty words of welcome from those lips which are now silent. Is it not natural, then, in thinking of that better country, even the heavenly,' whither, I trust, I am following this beloved pupil and brother, to anticipate from him, with assured confidence, such a 'welcome home,' as no language on earth has fullness or richness enough to express?"

Western Turkey Mission. TAUGHT OF GOD-NOT IN THE SCHOOLS. WRITING from Nicomedia, on the 18th of March last, Mr. Spaulding reports a tour by Mr. Parsons and himself, in their field, from which they had returned "con

strained to thank God and take courage," in view of the evidence they saw of progress in the good work. They had as their companion a native brother, of whom Mr. Spaulding says: "The history of this man is one of peculiar interest. Fifteen years ago he was an itinerant minstrel, officiating with violin, or other musical instrument, at the weddings and feasts of the old Armenians. Into all the degrading rites and brutish excess of these carnivals he entered with the zest of a sanguine temperament, as yet unsanctified. Having frequent occasion to use the Turkish language in business, he borrowed a copy of 'Rise and Progress,' by Doddridge, translated into the Armeno-Turkish, that he might obtain a better knowledge of that language. But that wonderful book proved to be for the salvation of his soul. He there learned to speak a better language, even an heavenly. He was thoroughly convicted of sin, and weeping bitterly, sought and found mercy. Thenceforward he was a man radically changed in character, and earnestly devoted to the cause of his Master. No longer was he found in those places where the time goes merrily and thoughts of God and heaven never come. His voice, that had previously been employed in the vile or silly songs of revelry, was now heard singing the songs of Zion, or speaking cheering words to those lowly believers who were hard pressed with inward conflict or outward persecution. He became a 'fisher of men.' We have reason to believe that thirty souls have found Jesus through his direct instrumentality. Yet this man is illiterate. He never trod the halls of a theological seminary, but his living conjunction with the truth of the gospel, and with Him who is the living embodiment of truth, has served him better than a whole life spent in the schools and among books.

"Soon after his conversion he suffered persecution, being stabbed and left for dead, by an enemy of the Protestant faith. His reputation for spotless integrity is of much assistance to him in his itinerant work. Not long since, while in a Turkish village, he was arrested and thrown into prison for a debt, which he solemnly de