THE three missionaries of the Board now in Austria have located for the present at Prague (Bohemia). Before going there Mr. Schauffler spent some weeks at a town in Upper Austria. On the 14th of October he wrote from that place: "Yesterday I held my second Bible hour (Biblestunde) here, which was attended by twelve serious and attentive Catholics. I think that, in German towns and villages, a simple Scripture-exposition meeting will attract many who would be frightened at the idea of attending a regular Protestant

service."

On the 21st of October he wrote again : "To-morrow we expect to start for Prague. We leave Upper Austria with regret. When, three months ago, we rode at dusk down into this beautiful place, by a crescent-shaped little lake, bounded by green meadows and forest-crowned hills on one side, and by high, cragged peaks and a perpendicular cliff on the other, I was not more struck by the scenery than inwardly impressed with the feeling that we had come hither for good. This presentiment has been realized. We have experienced much mercy here, in the restoration to comfortable health of our invalids; and I trust we have done, as well as received good. I wrote you of the first meetings which my father held in his hotel-room, after we had been here long enough to get acquainted a little. After my parents left, with considerable fear on account of my lack of fluency in the language, I obeyed the summons of a Catholic gentleman, and continued the meetings on the three Sabbaths I have since spent here. I wish you could have been present yes. terday. Just before the meeting, the only Protestant gentleman in the place came to

tell me that he had just seen, in the Ultramontane People's Paper,' the news that a Protestant clergyman had been holding meetings, selling Protestant Bibles for a song, and distributing tracts. The writer wanted to know whether the latter were not accompanied by Prussian dollars! You may imagine my pleasure when the only answer to this attack was the presence and serious attention of fifteen Catholics, to whom I spoke of the Prodigal Son. I have never preached the gospel to more earnest hearers. Four of the men were among the first citizens of the place. This morning one of them came and asked whether I had any more Bibles, as another citizen, one of the richest in the place, desired one. I had the pleasure of selling the only copy I had in the house.

"Will not you and other friends help us pray that the Lord will pour out his Spirit on this place, and cause the seed now sown to bring forth fruit? Why should we not see here the beginning of a good work in Upper Austria ?"

Mr. Adams wrote from Prague, December 7: "Though I feel in so great haste to learn German that I can scarcely afford time for anything besides, I am very glad to report myself to you as on the ground to which I was sent, and preparing as rapidly as possible to go to work; though it makes one who has been accustomed to preaching regularly rather impatient, to be compelled to remain constantly silent.

"Brother Clark and myself, with our families, arrived here on the evening of November 1, and found that Brother Schauffler and his family had been on the ground about a week. He had done all that any one could do to cause our first impressions of Austria to be pleasant. He had, with much difficulty, secured us commodious dwellings, and we are now in good degree settled, and hope to go to work with greater earnestness than as yet we have been able to do.

Rarely, if ever, have missionaries been received as cordially, on entering upon a new field, as we have been received here. Rev. Mr. Moody, missionary to the Jews from the Scotch Free Church.

has an English preaching service every Sabbath morning, and has gathered about him quite a circle of Christian friends, both Germans and English, resident here. Less than a week after our arrival, we were all invited to take tea at his house, and with us were invited many of the English speaking people here, especially those who are interested in Christian work. It was really a reception given to us, as the representatives of the American Board, by those here who have at heart the interests of Christ's cause. The evening was an exceedingly pleasant one to us, bringing us into contact with many who will be of great assistance in our work. Mr. Moody, in the course of the evening, took occasion to present to us an address of welcome, dwelling particularly on the bond of Christian love which unites together, in service and enjoyment, all the disciples of our Lord. Brother Schauffler replied on behalf of the mission, thanking the friends for their cordial welcome, and assuring them that we had come to Austria, not to build up a new sect or church, but to unite our efforts with those of all Christians who are seeking to promote the highest spiritual good of the land.

"I am more and more impressed with the greatness of the work here, and of our great need of humbly looking to God for the descent of the Holy Ghost, in order that we may have the necessary self-denial, prudence, and courage to do what is set before us. We have constantly increasing evidence that there are great possibilities for missionary work here. That such work will result in great good to this land, and indeed to the whole of Central Europe, we have every reason to expect. Rationalism and infidelity, rather than Roman Catholicism, are the foes we have to fight.

"It is to be expected that we shall be looked upon with jealousy by those who care not for a pure gospel, and it will not be strange if even the pious people feel that they can do the work better alone. Yet they need outside help, and much of it. A complete change must be made in almost everything. But outside help must be wisely rendered.

"There is wisdom for us in God, and he promises to give to all men liberally and not to upbraid. We trust we feel our need of this wisdom; and our prayers, we hope, are real and fervent.

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'Let not any of the enthusiasm about Austria be suffered to die out; we shall need it all. But, more than all, we shall need that patience and faith which will enable us to keep hold of God's hand and do just as he would have us. This is what the churches need—such faith as will not allow them to cease from their efforts, though they see no immediate results. O that we and the churches at home could be constantly in prayer to Him whose purposes are sure to be fulfilled."

"We are getting under the crust a little in our work in Santander, and the devil, becoming aware of our presence, has begun to roar; but, as will be seen, only the more effectually to proclaim the fact that the gospel has been brought to this city. Not long ago a letter appeared in one of the local papers, notifying the public that the 'Protestant propaganda, that invades the Spanish territory, has penetrated the province of Santander, exercising its pernicious influence in the diffusion of books prohibited by the Holy Catholic Church.' The writer gives the alarm to the catholic Santanderinos, that the books are not what they appear to be, and that they must not let themselves be taken unawares by the false pretenses of this Protestant stratagem; warning them that those who read or retain books prohibited by the Holy Catholic Church incur the penalty of excommunication; and signs himself Un Sacerdote Católico Apostólico Romano.'

"A young man, who, with his wife, attends our meetings, immediately wrote a reply, which the editor of the paper at first declined to publish; but afterwards thinking better of it, he printed it in full. It is to this effect: It seems impossible

that in the last third of the nineteenth century, and after the last four years, in which the question of religious liberty has been so debated in our country, and respect to all forms of worship decreed in the Constitution of the State, there should come now a man, no matter how many his titles, to wound the religious sentiments of a respectable portion of the Spanish people, who, although Protestants, as he calls them, are as law-abiding, as useful, and as good citizens, before God and society, as he who wrote those lines-if not better! . . . . I deny the gratuitous charge of "pernicious influence" which he applies to the evangelical propaganda — which is simply the giving of the pure gospel to our countrymen; and I would remind the people of Santander that Romanism better merits that charge, presenting, as it does, repeated examples of "pernicious influence" — sad enough they are! - in the nations where it predominates.' Here follow some damaging statistics on the influence of Romanism, and he concludes: 'I improve this occasion to offer every class of evangelical books and publications to all who wish to interest themselves in the holy, apostolic, catholic, Christian work' – and signs his name in full.

"I am doubtful as to the wisdom of noticing such anonymous newspaper attacks, but our young friend did this without prompting by any one, and I cannot but admire his courage in so boldly challenging the sacerdote to 'try on' his excommunication. A large number of the papers containing these letters were bought and distributed in the city by our friends, but our apostolic Roman Catholic priest has not ventured into print again. The event, though not much in itself, is significant of the increasing freedom of the people from the bondage of the clerical yoke. "The attendance on the meetings in our parlor fluctuates in numbers from five to eight. It is perhaps fair to consider, that the four flights of stairs that must be ascended to reach our apartments, form an obstacle to our meetings that few but personal acquaintances can be expected to overcome. I am now looking for a more convenient room for our public worship. Our Bible-class promises to be of increasing value and interest."

Mission to Mexico

A BRIEF letter has been received from Messrs. Stephens and Watkins, the two brethren who have gone to commence a mission in Mexico, dated at Guadalajara (or Guadalaxara), November 9, and giving a very satisfactory account of their journey.

They say: "We sailed from San Francisco Tuesday, October 15th, on steamer California. It was very gratifying to us, and profitable to the churches, to notice the interest that was manifested in the mission cause, both before and at our departure. It was remarked by several of the pastors that the missionary work had never excited such interest, or received such an impetus in California as this 'Mexican move' had given it.

"The voyage was very pleasant to San Blas, 1,440 miles. We spent one Sabbath on board, and the Captain invited us to hold service. I have never seen an audience more attentive; and we felt the presence of the blessed Spirit. We landed at San Blas Wednesday morning, October 23d, having received every kindness from the officers and our fellow-passengers. Our baggage was passed through the custom-house with no trouble, and the next morning, at two o'clock, we started for Tepic, distant sixty miles. Arrived safely at three P. M. On account of a revolution that had just broken out, no one was permitted to leave the city; but through the kindness of the German Consul (the only consul in the place), a passport was obtained for us, and on Monday, November 4th, a special stage was dispatched to convey us to Guadalajara, distant two hundred miles. We made the trip in perfect safety, although most of the road is in a fearful condition. Sometimes we walked; in one place we rode twelve miles on horseback. We met one band of robbers, but as there were six men on the stage at the time, they did not stop us.

"We arrived here Thursday night, at half-past eight, very thankful to the Divine Master for his care over us during our journey. We have been especially blessed in finding friends. We found such in Tepic, and already we have been called on here by several influential