Ultramontanism be struck through their sides? Why should their own Church, never hostile to the State, be subjected to laws even more detrimental to Protestantism than they are ever likely to be to the Church of Rome? They assert that by the new legislation, if a clergyman is dismissed by the State for teaching false doctrine, he will be able to appeal to the Court to be created for adjudicating on religious questions, and thus there will be set up in the very heart of the Church the action of a merely political authority. The worst feature in this proposed procedure, it is pointed out, is, that by its close supervision it fetters every free action of the Church, and that it teaches clergymen to attempt to bring themselves into favour with the political party which for the time being may happen to be in the ascendancy. Accordingly, the Ultramontanes, who contend very truly that the threatened laws interfere-it is their very design to do so-with the interior organization of their Church; that it will be impracticable for them and their Bishops ex animo to obey them; and that passive resistance is necessarily the attitude towards such legislation which they must adopt, find men rowing in the same political boat with themselves whose last thought it is to have any thing to do with their purpose to uphold, if possible, their Ecclesiastical system.

The grave contest to which Prussia has been suddenly committed is only one phase of that which in many other quarters is waged in the purlieus of the Papacy. Where resistance to its claims is not open and eager, a suspicious watchfulness of all its movements is maintained. Switzerland, for example, has quietly taken action

on principles which the Prussian Legislature is preparing itself to assert. The Canton of Geneva has repudiated the assumption of the Pope in appointing a Bishop for its Roman Catholic subjects; and, wiser than our own "Protestant" Government of twenty years ago, has conducted across the frontier the Papal nominee of a diocese constituted in accordance with the provisions of the Canon Law, but unacknowledged by the State. Provoked by the daring aggressions of the Ultramontane party, the Swiss have even gone further, and have framed a fresh civil Constitution for the Roman Catholic clergy. The new law forbids the appointment of a Vicar-General by the Bishops without the consent of the State, the establishment of the seat of the Bishopric within the limits of the Canton of Geneva, and the exercise on the part of any ecclesiastical dignitary of the duties of a curé or of a vicar in the parishes. The Council of State also reserves to itself the right of withholding from publication the bulls or decrees of the Holy See, as well as any of the Pastoral Charges of the diocesan Bishops. It also ordains that the curés and their vicars shall be chosen by the suffrages of the Roman Catholics whose names are inscribed on the Electoral roll, a plan which has long been in favour in several of the Swiss Cantons.

The Statesmen of Prussia who have made this vigorous stand against Ultramontanism themselves admit that their country is scarcely prepared for it; that indeed, for all Germany, the tacit concordat with Rome on which so much of its social system has long rested cannot be suddenly broken without incurring some serious risks. These risks are of course considered from a

purely political point of view, and no one doubts that but for the Pope's new pretensions to interference with State-rights Roman Catholic Germany might have remained indefinitely what Protestant Germanyprince, and priest, and people alike-has for centuries suffered it to be. But it would seem impossible to prevent the importation of a new element, a most powerful and disturbing one, into the legislation which has lately become Imperial. The line of policy thought necessary to resist the Papacy has already touched the religious liberties of Protestants themselves, whose active sympathy as well as bare compliance with the procedure of the State, in its larger functions, is just now essential to the realization of the prospects of German unity. Should the political action instigated by the Vatican prove to have been met by a counterstroke which tends, in any sensible degree, to estrange the people as a whole from their rulers-if in this respect both Ultramontanes and Protestants throughout Germany are agreed, though on all other questions divided by impassable differences and distinctions-it is pretty clear that the "religious difficulty" is likely enough to be the weak point in the resistance of the German Empire to the opponents of its successful consolidation, if we may not speak of hazards of its very existence. In proportion as society ceases to rest upon what is little else than a truce, at the expense of vital religion, between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, will there be ever and anon a Scylla and Charybdis analogous to the present one for the rulers of the new Empire to pass through.

The unscrupulous craft which

condescends to make the Bambino a woolly-headed Negro in Africa, a swarthy Indian in Peru, a fairfaced Caucasian in Europe, has apparently played out its game with the Purple and its immediate heirs, and now turns to the people, the masses,into whose hands political power is everywhere being rapidly transferred. Hence new dangers, not only for Prussian Statesmen in dealing with recalcitrant Romish Bishops, but for all States in which political opponents by religious creed are admitted to equal civil rights, up to a share in the Legislature itself, with their countrymen, on the sole condition of paying their quota of the common taxes. Our fathers may have been right in 1829, but whither is the right conducting us? For the present it would seem as if the temporal power had disappeared only to undergo a transformation, to remain henceforth, so long as Rome continues spiritually unshaken, little less powerful against the State, as such, than it hitherto has been as the State itself or its pretended support. The final issue of this new conflict among the nations is not uncertain, but its course is shrouded in obscurity. Whether the Papacy, by a quasi spiritual revival, will ever regain something of its external splendour may be doubtful; but there can be no question as to where our own national strength must ever be found. That Protestantism shall be more than a name among us must be our one aim, from the States. man who has to deal with University Bills to electors at the polling. booth, when called on to give their votes in behalf of candidates for admission to the British Parlia ment.

London, April 21st, 1873.

PARKHURST GARRISON.-March 31st, 1873. The Rev. William Moister, who has recently returned to his former residence in the Isle of Wight, writes: I am thankful to report the favourable re-commencement of our work for the benefit of Wesleyan soldiers at Parkhurst garrison,—where there are now a thousand men,-a goodly number of whom have recently come in with the 102nd Regiment of the Royal Madras Fusileers. On first writing to, and then calling upon, the colonel commanding the regiment, I was met in the most kind and courteous manner, and the use of the Infant schoolroom for parade-service on the Sabbath, and Bible-classes and lectures on week nights, as before, was granted,

with every other means for carrying on our work which I requested. The colonel, moreover, expressed the pleasure with which he would assist me to the utmost of his power. I have the gratification of being able to add, that the attendance at parade-service has increased every Sabbath since we commenced; some men having now requested to be enrolled as Wesleyans who had neglected to do so when they had to march to town to the services. We have also had good prayermeetings, Bible-classes, and Temperance gatherings. I have a fair prospect of establishing a soldiers' Societyclass, some having already confessed to me their deep concern for their souls.

1. BETHNAL-GREEN

HOME-MISSION

CIRCUIT-From the Rev. T. B. Stephenson.-April 4th, 1873.-During the last year, we have endeavoured especially to direct our work upon the poor and ignorant masses around us. The chapel was wisely placed on its present site; for while the bulk of the congregation consists of working people, there are a few of a somewhat higher class who have been attracted to it. Still it is not placed in the very midst of the squalor and wretchedness of Bethnal Green; and I have felt it on my conscience to endeavour to touch that portion of the community. Accordingly we have opened three Mission-rooms. One of these has been worked successfully during the winter, but is now superseded by another, of which I make mention . below.

Vyner-Street. — This Mission-room will hold about one hundred and fifty persons, and is well filled on Sunday evenings. When the services commenced, the congregation consisted

VOL. XIX.-FIFTH SERIES.

almost exclusively of women; recently there has been a good attendance of men. A Sunday-school is held on Sunday afternoons. The average attendance is a hundred and thirty. A select Bible-class has been formed for girls; twenty have already joined it. On Sunday morning we hold a children's service; the attendance is about a hundred. In connection with this service a working boys' and girls' society has been instituted. A meeting is held every Wednesday evening, at which addresses are given, often on the subject of temperance, and occasionally dissolving views are exhibited. A day-school is held, conducted by a certificated mistress: already the average attendance has reached eighty. A large mothers' meeting is held weekly; and a Societyclass has been formed, in which there are several members. A number of remarkable conversions have taken place in connection with this work.

Green Street Mission-room.-This is in connection with a "public-house, 2 H

without the drink;" and we have found the association of these helpful to both. The Sunday-evening service held here is attended by about a hundred adults. At the week-night service there is usually a congregation of twenty-five. Several of the people having been converted to God, we found it necessary to establish class-meetings, one for men, the other for women. these there are twenty-five women and thirteen men. It is a remarkable circumstance that several members of a Baptist church come to this meeting. We bid them welcome, but do not count them as members.

In

Every Sunday afternoon a prayermeeting is held, attended by between twenty and thirty persons. There also is a mothers' meeting, with an average attendance of thirty-five. Twelve young women are taught to read and write in a night-school. Two weeks ago a Sunday-morning service was commenced. The attendance as yet is small, and it grieves our hearts to see as great a crowd thronging the streets as on Saturdays, while so few come to worship God. Still our hopes are high in reference to this service also. Lastly, a temperance-meeting is held on Saturday evenings, and this effort has in several cases resulted in bringing people to the services for worship, when they have become converted to God. So much for the Mission

rooms.

I am convinced that if our religious influence is to penetrate the poorest and darkest neighbourhoods, we must have more of such modest but very effective establishments. I desire to acknowledge the aid rendered to this work by the Metropolitan Methodist Lay Mission.

Meantime, at the chapel in Approach Road our congregation is large; the income from pew-rents is steadily increasing, and the day is drawing nearer when this Mission-Circuit may be independent of the Home-Mission Fund. Since Christmas we have had

and a very gracious work of God; although we shall report only a small increase of members during the year, we have eighty on trial, and look forward to the future with bright hopes, and with unhesitating confidence in God.

2. SOUTHEND AND LEIGH.-From the Rev. J. H. Brown.-April 3rd, 1873.— The review of the Home-mission work in this Circuit during the past few months is especially gratifying, as during that period ours has been "the joy of harvest," the sowing for which had been going on steadily and prayer. fully for many weeks before. Throughout the Circuit the unusually large congregations show that a spirit of hearing is awakened; and, in consequence, a painful need, everywhere felt, is that of increased ministerial help, which no doubt, when the state of their funds will permit, the Home Missionary Committee will send.

Steady and progressive work has been going on at Benfleet, in a cottage, which, we are glad to state, will soon be substituted by a commodious chapel, for which plans and specifications are prepared. At Hadleigh there are many cheering signs of good, not least of which is the greatly improved congregation.

Leigh, where we have a Society of seventy-three members, and the influence of Methodism is felt throughout the entire population, demands espe cial attention. The crowded chapel, especially on Sunday evenings, the large attendance at the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the intense and wide-spread interest shown in the Word preached, and the large number of young men and women who attend our services, give good reason to believe that if a suitable Home-missionary minister could be stationed there, the best results would follow.

But the main interest of this Mission has centred in Southend, where an elegant new chapel has been built,