climate, even with the intervening indulgence of a furlough in a colder climate. And children of European parentage cannot be brought up and trained in such climates. That such limited service is an injury to the Mission work in the long run we deny. Fresh blood, regularly introduced into the Mission ranks, is perhaps more useful than the retaining of men with exhausted minds and failing bodily health. And as Missionaries must return to their native country, they had better leave tropical climates while there is strength enough left for them to rally and begin life again at home. Intelligent returned Missionaries are likely to be almost as useful to the Mission at home as when in the Mission field; their presence and influence in the home Churches has no doubt helped to maintain and extend the Missionary feeling.

10. The question so often mooted, whether civilization must precede or follow Christianity in the case of barbarous tribes, appears to be a trifling with words: Christianity is the highest civilization, applying itself first to the moral nature of the uncivilized, influencing the will to yield to the power of those great truths which at once excite the imagination and awaken the long dormant conscience. Then follow the decencies and appliances of civilized life. The difficulty of obtaining access to the intellect and the affections of a savage people has been forcibly put by that deep thinker John Foster (in his Essay on the Application of the Epithet "Romantic"): "Did you ever listen to the discussion of plans for the civilization of barbarous nations without the intervention of conquest? I have-with despair!" And then he appends a note which is the key to his meaning: "I here place out of view that religion by which Omnipotence will at length transform the world." The misfortune of uncivilized nations in our day, consequent upon their contact with our civilization, is not their unwillingness to participate in its advantages, but that our railway speed of progress leaves no time for its acclimatization and natural growth among them, and that, meanwhile, the weeds of our civilization are more rapid in their growth than its useful plants. When our barbarous ancestors appropriated the rich heritage of the culture of the old Roman world, they came under its influence by slow degrees, here a little and there a little, and thus the changes, though almost imperceptible in their process, were

permanent, having become identified with the national growth. Missionaries to uncivilized people have now to watch and direct the process of changes in themselves beneficial, but incidentally connected with much that is evil and destructive: their main anxiety at such critical periods of a people's history is to guard them against the vices which accompany our somewhat corrupt civilization.

11. In conclusion: Let the friends of Christian Missions beware lest by their attempts to recommend their great object to the world at large, they are unwillingly led to vulgarize the conception of the grand aim of the Mission work, and thus lower it to meet the materialistic views of "the wise and prudent" of this world. That Christianity will lead to the extension of trade and a mutually beneficial intercourse and comity of nations now barbarous and unsocial with those which are civilized, is true. This is one of the blessings which follow naturally in the path of the teachings of our Missionaries. But this is not our object. Christianity is the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Cor. v. 19.) It seeks to harmonize the relation of man to his Maker, to send forth the light of THE TRUTH in the place of heathen darkness, and to bring "peace with God" into every troubled conscience. In the progress of this great work its agents expect to equalize to some extent the condition of humanity, and to raise the degraded races, by imparting to all the highest mental and moral culture of which our humanity is capable. Nor are our hopes chimerical. We have “a more sure word of prophecy." (2 Peter i. 19.) "The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah xi. 9.)

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I. SCOTLAND AND IRELAND.

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Beginning at Jerusalem."-Luke xxiv. 47.

"The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: He gaihereth together the outcasts of Israel."-Psalm cxlvii. 2.

I. SCOTLAND.-The Church of Scotland naturally endeavours to extend the parochial system in the most destitute parts of the kingdom. The Free Church, more free to act, has not only opened new preaching places, but has also, by the "Association for the Religious Improvement of the Remote Highlands and Islands," established sixty schools, most of them in remote districts in the Islands, and on the Western mainland; many of them being in localities difficult of access to ordinary tourists, where, in fact, education was most needed. The Twenty-Second Report of the Association (1872) remarks, that the Education Bill will not meet the necessities of the "remote corners and islands," which are the scene of the Society's labours. In these efforts to benefit the destitute population of Scotland, it will be observed that the United Presbyterians and the Baptists are also engaged.

II. IRELAND. The Church of England, the Irish Presbyterian Church in Scotland, the Wesleyan Methodists, the Methodist New Connexion, and the Baptists, are engaged in Irish Missions and educational efforts. Two quotations, bearing on the condition of Ireland, and on the necessity of Missionary effort, are given in the "Report of the Society for Irish Church Missions." The first is from the late Mr. Charles Dickens :

Charles Dickens, in a contrast of the Protestant and Roman Catholic cantons in Switzerland, says, "Where this Protestant canton ends, and a Catholic canton begins, you might separate two perfectly distinct and different conditions of humanity, by drawing a line with your stick in the dust on the ground. On the Protestant side neatness, cheerfulness, industry, continued aspiration, at least, after better things; on the Catholic side dirt, disease, ignorance, squalor, and misery. I have so con

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stantly observed the like of this since I came abroad, that I have a sad misgiving that the religion of Ireland lies deep at the root of all its sorrows."

The other is from "The Times," March 20th, 1873 :—“ For the present, so far as we see, the Irish (Romish) Bishops must have their way. They have succeeded in throwing dirt upon the sweet pledges of peace and charity which Parliament has been laboriously manufacturing for several years. They have made the wall higher and the ditch deeper between races, classes, and communions. They have poisoned the wells of education, they have stripped the tree of its growing fruit, and burnt the ripening harvest. They enjoy the barren triumphs of those whose hand is against every man, and every man's hand against them. Whatever the British Legislature makes they destroy; though it be as the garden of Eden before them, wherever they pass it is a desolate wilderness."

Dr. James Macaulay, in his work, "Ireland in 1872," indulges in sanguine anticipations respecting the future of Ireland:

"I venture to express my conviction that the power of Popery, which has so long oppressed Ireland, is passing away. There is a feeling abroad resembling what is reported of India, where the belief in ancient idolatries and creeds is being shaken, with an undefined and uneasy expectation of change approaching. This feeling has been strengthened within the last two years. The humiliation of France, the chief Catholic power of Europe; the decided action of the Prussian Government towards the Romish party; the progress of the Reformation in Italy and Spain, and the present position of the Pope;-these and other European events are much canvassed in Ireland. Now is the opportunity for Protestants to increase their efforts to enlighten the people, especially by means of the press."

It is much to be regretted that the otherwise excellent and satisfactory Reports of the Scotch and Irish Societies are so deficient in their statistical details. Our interest in their work would be much increased if we knew the estimated number of churches, hearers, and scholars. We are aware that all such estimates are of necessity imperfect, but they are helps towards forming a right conception of the nature and extent of the work.

N.B.-There are yet some thousands of the Scotch Highlanders who understand no language but Gaelic. In Ireland, one million understand Erse, and 163,000 people cannot speak English.

BIBLE SOCIETIES.

1. THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY has published several Editions of the Welsh and Gaelic Scriptures, the Irish Scriptures, and an Edition of the Manx Bible.

2. THE NATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND has granted 910 copies of the Scriptures to the Highlands, and employs 6 colporteurs, by whom 15,906 Scriptures and portions have Leen circulated: it has also granted 17,776 Scriptures and portions to Ireland.

3. THE HIBERNIAN BIBLE SOCIETY has circulated 73,413 Scriptures and portions in Ireland. The cost of the Depôt, Bibles, &c., is £4,438.