sea ran before it from the south-west, which made the Agamemnon pitch to such an extent that it was thought impossible the cable could hold through the night. Men were kept at the wheels of the machine to prevent their stopping, as the stern of the ship rose and fell with the sea, for had they done so the cable must undoubtedly have parted. During Sunday night and Monday morning the weather continued as boisterous as ever, and it was only by the most indefatigable exertions of the engineer upon duty that the wheels could be prevented from stopping altogether as the vessel rose and fell with the sea, and once or twice they did come completely to a standstill in spite of all that could be done to keep them moving, but fortunately they were again set in motion before the stern of the ship was thrown up by the succeeding wave. But even with all these forces acting unresistedly upon it, the cable never paid itself out at greater speed than eight knots an hour at the time the ship was going at the rate of six knots and a-half. Subsequently, however, when the speed of the ship ever exceeded six knots and a-half the cable never ran out so quick. The average speed maintained by the ship up to this time, and, indeed, for the whole voyage, was about five knots and a-half, the cable, with occasional exception, running about 30 per cent. faster.

About five o'clock on Tuesday evening (August 3), the steep submarine mountain which divides the telegraphic plateau from the Irish coast was reached, and the effect of the sudden shallowing of the water had a very marked effect upon the cable, causing the strain on and the speed of it to lessen every minute. By daylight on the morning of Thursday the bold and rocky mountains which entirely surround the wild and picturesque neighbourhood of Valentia rose at a few miles distance. Both ships made strait for Dowlas Bay, and about six o'clock came to anchor at the side of Beginish Island, opposite to Valentia. Soon after a signal was received from the Niagara that they were preparing to land, having paid out 1,030 nautical miles of cable, while the Agamemnon had accomplished her portion of the distance with an expenditure of 1,020 miles, making the total length of the wire submerged 2,050 geographical miles.

The intelligence of the marvellous feat flew over the States with inconceivable rapidity, diffusing joy through the hearts of millions. The first act of the British was to transmit to the American Directors the following message: "Glory to God in the highest; peace on earth; good will toward men."

It was properly reserved for the Queen and the President to hold the first intercourse, which ran thus :-

"FROM HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

"The Queen desires to congratulate the President upon the successful completion of this great international work, in which the Queen has taken the greatest interest. The Queen is convinced that the President will join with her in fervently hoping that the electric cable, which now already connects Great Britain with the United States, will prove an additional link between the two nations, whose friendship is founded upon their common interest and reciprocal esteem. The Queen has much pleasure in thus directly communicating with the President, and in renewing to him her best wishes for the prosperity of the United States."

The following is the President's reply to the foregoing

"THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO HER MAJESTY VICTORIA, QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN.

"Washington City.

"The President cordially reciprocates the congratulations of Her Majesty the Queen on the success of the great inter national enterprise accomplished by the skill, science, and indomitable energy of the two countries. It is a triumph more glorious, because far more useful to mankind, than was ever won by a conqueror on the field of battle. May the Atlantic Telegraph, under the blessing of Heaven, prove to be a bond of perpetual peace and friendship between the kindred nations, and an instrument destined by Divine Providence to diffuse religion, civilization, liberty, and law throughout the world. In this view will not all the nations of Christendom spontaneously unite in the declaration that it shall be for ever neutral, and that its communications shall be held sacred in passing to the place of their destination even in the midst of hos tilities? "JAMES BUCHANAN."

The Americans and Canadians seem more fully to appreciate the importance of the event than the people of this country. Each class, according to their taste, expressed their joy. Fires blazed, church bells rung, trumpets sounded, cannons roared: speeches were made in public places; and good men lifted up the voice of prayer and praise. At the semi-continental dinner of the Alumni of the Andover Theological College, about 1,000 were present. A despatch, announcing the success of the Atlantic Telegraph, was read and received with enthusiastic applause, which continued for some time. The doxology was then sung to the tune of the Old Hundredth. Rev. Dr. Adams, of New York, said his heart was too full of thankfulness for a speech, and at his suggestion a prayer to

God was offered in acknowledgment of the providential result. Rev. Dr. Hawes spoke of the event as calculated to hasten the triumphs of civilisation and Christianity. The whole audience then joined in singing "Praise God from whom all blessings flow." Dr. Hawes then offered prayer, and in closing said "We have consecrated this new instrument, so far as our agency is concerned, to the building up of the truth."

Where all was fervour there was clearly most feeling in British America. There it was heart work: the people felt like children restored to the parental hearth. The Montreal Pilot nobly said :-" Europe and America conjoined! We wish that Heaven had made us poetical, that we might raise a song of triumph on the success of one of the noblest works that ever the mind of man conceived, or that his hand could

execute. The Atlantic Cable is laid, and we are all within speaking distance of our own mother country-of the fatherlands of most of the people of this conținentand soon we shall be as closely allied to all the people of the earth. It would be impossible to overrate the importance of this great-we had almost said greatest of events. Providence has indeed been kind to us. Now as ever, let our gratitude, though it can never be commensurate with the boon conceded, swell our bosoms with thankfulness in excelsior. Nothing becomes us-our hearts are too full to allow us to enlarge upon the subject."

Centuries will be required fully to develope the importance of the Atlantic Telegraph. Generations unborn will look back to August, 1858, with wonder, gratitude, and joy.

IN the United States, the Revival movement still goes on, although with lessened intensity. The holy fire is spreading to the very extremities of the Continent. It has even found its way to one of the least likely parts of the world, California. The Daily Union Prayer Meeting in San Francisco filled the Pine Street Baptist Church at the latest date (April 22), and was expected soon to require a still larger place. The first meeting was held April 5th, when seventeen persons attended. The revival in San Jose is reported in the California Christian Advocate to be going forward with increased interest. The ministers and officers of the Protestant churches meet every Monday morning for prayer and consultation. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, general union prayer-meetings are held; persons coming in from the surrounding country at a distance of five or six miles to attend. Recent converts are foremost in the work. The same paper has news of "a gracious revival" near the Seven-Mile House, on the Monterey Road, south of San Jose. An every day noon prayer-meeting has been started in Sonora. The work at Stockton is not diminishing. At a new place eight miles east of Stockton a high degree of interest was manifested. Nothing has yet occurred to shake public confidence in the reality of the movement, although, doubtless, in that as in all kindred matters, allowance must be made for a large amount of declension. Connected with this astonishing phenomenon is a circumstance not a little remarkable; there has been a falling-off in the missionary contributions to an extent wholly unparalleled. "Eight months of the Board's financial year," says the secretary, "are gone, and for every month, on an average, the

receipts have fallen twelve thousand dollars short of the necessary expenditure. The aggregate deficiency is now ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. Commercial distress accounts for the deficiency in the autumn; but not entirely for the falling off of the monthly receipts from forty to twenty thousand dollars, since January of the present year. This must be owing, in part at least, to other engrossing influences, however excellent in themselves, upon the thought and feeling of the churches."

This may, perhaps, be accounted for on the principle, that the human mind cannot be intensly absorbed by several things simultaneously. The directors of these missions seem to be under no fear as to the ultimate result. They believe, we have no doubt, on good grounds, that the supporters of the work will, in a body, come to the rescue, and that there will be no necessity for resorting to the lamentable alternative of narrowing the sphere of operations. Were such to be the fact, it would not only be a great evil in itself, but reflect the deepest discredit on the American churches. Nothing could so demonstrate the utter hollowness of the whole of the mighty movement, which, for many months past, has been shaking republican society to its centre. Were each of the countless multitudes who appear directly, or indirectly, to have shared in the Divine benefaction, to give but a dollar by way of thank-offering, it would meet the exigency, and make the coffers of the noble society to overflow.

Another great event has occurred in the United States of considerable moment. Many of our readers are aware that the Maine Liquor Law, prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages, after having been five years in operation, was repealed in April, 1856, owing to a triumph of the "Demo

cratic over the "Republican" party, at the State election in 1855. The votes for the Maine-law party, in the last-named year, were considerably more than at any previous election; the victory of their opponents was therefore not the result of any misgiving in the minds of its former supporters, but was due to circumstances which led to a coalition, and to the activity of voters who had formerly been quiescent. Soon afterwards the Portland Journal reported a considerable increase of "drunkenness, rows, burglaries, and every species of crime;" the Bangor Mercury stated that the quantity of liquors brought to that city that year (1856) was ten-fold greater than in the year previous; and the Calais Advertiser added, "We have seen more men reeling drunk through our streets the last three months than we have seen before in the last three years." At the next annual elections, in September, 1856, the Republican party more than recovered its lost ground; a legislature was returned which was almost unanimously in favour of the repealed liquor-law; and the pro-liquor Governor of the State was defeated by more than 22,000 majority. The leaders of the Republican party, however, agreed that the license law, then in force, should have another year's operation, in order to test its value by the results. At the elections in September, 1857, the Republican party were again victorious. In March a new anti-liquor law, stringently prohibitory, being passed through both houses of the Maine legislature by increased majorities, power was reserved to the people of the State to declare by direct voting whether the existing liquor-law should remain in force, or be superseded by the new prohibitory enactment. The 7th of June was the day named for the election; and the official return declared that whilst the number of ballots for the License-law was 5,912, those for the Prohibitory-law were 28,864. Thus the people of Maine, by a majority of 22,952 votes, have decided that no alcoholic beverages shall henceforth be sold in that State; and on the 15th of July last the new Anti-Liquor-law came into full operation.

The American as well as the British people have been not a little excited and gratified by the success of the attempt to lay the Atlantic Telegraph. This is not simply the great event in relation to civilization of the present century, but of modern times. Of all the triumphs science has achieved this claims the first place. Its results, at present, cannot at all be anticipated. It will operate in a multitude of ways, not foreseen, as well as in ways which are palpable to common observation. The mighty Atlantic is, so to speak, annihilated; it is not simply bridged over;and the shores of the two Worlds brought

into the closest contact! Small and great, on both sides may stand and commune together face to face, like a man with his friend!

With respect to Europe, the last great event is the meeting of the Sovereigns of England and France at the inauguration of the mighty fortress of Cherbourg. It is now some 150 years since the rude idea of that work was originated. It was reserved for Napoleon I., however, to enter on the undertaking in good earnest, and for Napoleon III. to bring it to a consummation. A great variety of sentiment obtains concerning the movement; there are those who anticipate from it future evil, and others conceive it will leave matters as between France and England very much where they now stand. Wars must cease some time, and there is reason, from prophecy, to hope that their day is nearly gone.

One of the chief doings of the Legislature has been the admission of the Jews to Parliament, and another is the passing of a Bill for the better government of India. That law is now on its trial; and there seems reason to doubt that it will either work well, or long. In some points, nevertheless, it will be an obvious improvement on the old system of things; but the great matter in which Christians are peculiarly interested, the government of India on Christian principles, was completely overlooked, or deliberately ignored in the House of Commons. In the House of Lords, on the third reading, Lord Shaftesbury and several of the bishops bore a noble testimony to the claims of the truth in connexion with Indian Missions, and the observations of the Prime Minister were, to some extent, satisfactory. A deputation, however, which has since waited on his son, Lord Stanley, has elicited views and feelings on the part of his lordship by no means in har mony with those of his father. Lord Stanley seems to think, that the old system of the Company, which, under the pretext of "neutrality," completely ignored Chris tianity, is the proper system for the govern ment of India. Enough has been called forth to show, that the Missionary Societies and the Christian Churches must keep on their watch-tower; for they have little to hope and much to fear.

With regard to the Indian War, although the strongholds are now in possession of our troops, the country is by no means tranquil. Tens of thousands of armed men are still prowling about, and working mis chief whithersoever they go.

In China, things are brought to a peaceful issue. All grievances are redressed; consuls are admitted to the ports; Christianity may be propagated; and a diplo matic agent will be received at Pekin, the capital.

WHAT of the American Revival? Does it continue? Does it spread? Is its divine character now deemed a settled point? These are questions which are being daily put in religious circles, throughout all denominations. They are perfectly natural; indifference to such a work would subject a man to grave suspicions as to his fidelity to the Lord of all. The highest proof of loyalty is concern for the stability of the empire, and a preparedness to sacrifice everything to promote it. So it is with respect to religion.

We are happy to say, then, that, so far as our sources of information go, the replies to the foregoing questions are favourable. These sources are threefold: personal intercourse with American gentlemen visiting this country, Correspondence with judicious friends in the United States, and the Press of the Republic. We have been careful to avail ourselves to the uttermost of all the lights to be derived from those several quarters, and the result has been cheering. There is, nevertheless, among the more judicious portion of the American Ministers and Laymen, great anxiety as to the results. They tremble lest a work like to which there has been nothing in our times, should come to nought, or to any great extent disappoint the expectations of the Christian world. They are alive to the deceitfulness of the human heart, and the wiles of the Wicked One. Nor have they forgotten the many local movements of a kindred character, some of them apparently of great power, which have ended, not as was hoped, in a rich harvest, but in dreary desolation! They remember churches, in large numbers, which have been ruined by Revivals, so called; and they feel that what has occurred in a district may

occur in a nation.

VOL. XV.

In all this anxiety British Christians are prepared to sympathize with their brethren. They feel that the honour of the American Churches is involved in the matter; and not only so, but the honour of special manifestations of Divine grace for never before was the attention of the wide world so intently fixed on spiritual phenomena. Add to all this the salvation of immense multitudes, who have made a public profession of faith in the Son of God, and who have "tasted the powers of the world to come," and we shall see abundant cause for godly solicitude. It would be sad, indeed, beyond all sadness, were the whole to turn out a magnificent delusion! For some, perhaps, in a case of such magnitude, for a large measure of disappointment, we should be prepared. It stands to reason; it is the dictate of experience. Thus it was in the days of the apostles, and at every subsequent period, down to our own times. Where the wheat has abounded, so have the tares. But when even the largest allowance, in the present case, has been made on this behalf, more than enough will remain to constitute the most abundant and glorious harvest the world has seen for the last thousand years.

This solicitude is being increased by the fact, that the work has, in one most material respect, been peculiar. One distinguishing element of all previous awakenings, on both sides of the Atlantic, is, in the present case, in a great measure, wanting. Conviction of sin has, in most quarters, been but slightly, if at all, apparent. The burden of guilt I would seem to have been removed almost before it was sensibly felt: men appeared to pass from death unto lifeif life it be-in a moment! The cry of "Men and brethren, what must we do?" has scarcely made itself heard. The

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people seem to have stepped out of the world into the church, with light heart and cheerful countenance, with but a feeble sense of the danger from which they have escaped. They appear to have been wholly "taught of God," with very little instrumentality of man. We hear nothing of classes, and not much of extra preaching, or preaching of any sort. Even exhortation was

ignored upon principle! We hear of nothing but prayer, morning, noon, and night it was prayer first, prayer midst, prayer last, and prayer without ceasing!

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Now all this is certainly very wonderful. We look in vain into the history of past times for aught that very closely resembles it. But while such is the fact, we must be careful of rashly making it the basis of a doctrine. Although we find no parallel in Church History, it is otherwise with the Holy Scriptures. This American movement is the best commentary that can be conceived of the remarkable words of the prophet. According to him, the people, and the inhabitants of many cities, were to go forth simply for the exercise of prayer! The inhabitants of one city are to go to another, saying, "Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord."

Let it be further noted that these wonderful scriptures, in the book of the prophet, are surrounded by the most glorious predictions of Christ and his sufferings, his kingdom and his glory, and a vital portion of the narrative. Here the one all-absorbing idea is prayer! It is the alpha and the omega of the arrangement. The state of mind which is to give birth to this marvellous thirst for the living God can only be produced by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, who works on whom he will, when he will, and as he will. It deserves special notice, that in many

of the New Testament conversions the idea of deep distress does not come out in the narrative. The reality of the faith of Lydia is beyond dispute, but there is no symptom of distress. The Lord "opened her heart;" in a moment the truth entered; and she showed her conversion by her love to his servants. The gaoler of Philippi also was distracted, but we read nothing of the distress of his house; yet it is certain that his house, as well as himself, "rejoiced, believing in God."

We must, then, beware of inductions from a few facts mixed up with other facts of an opposite description. Were the Church of Christ now on the earth to be closely scrutinized, we should probably find the immense majority to have been converted in the gentler way; that this was the rule, and that the other was little more than the exception. It is clear that not much turns on either the depth or the duration of the conviction; less on the latter than on the former. The depth, however, must be such as to reveal the sinner's undone condition, and to show the necessity of the work of Christ; but that may be a very speedy process. Prolonged distress is simply the fruit of prolonged unbelief. In no respect does it improve the sinner's condition, nor bring him a hair's breadth nearer to God. In the matter of conviction there is room for endless variety, alike as to its nature, measure, and duration. The matter of faith is more fixed and determinate. The real "belief of the truth" is essential to salvation. Such belief may be weak, but it will suffice to deliver from sin, wrath, and death. That realized, the sinner is "justified from all things," and "accepted in the Beloved." Christ becomes to him wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption. He is complete in the Lord Jesus, and for his sake received into the family of God.

That our readers may see in what