The following interesting narrative is taken from the December number of The Missionary Magazine, published by the American Baptist Missionary Union. It is from the pen of Mrs. Devan, wife of an American baptist missionary at Lyons.

At length he went to Paris, and there he | taught the self-same doctrines. He is evidently a man of talents and learning, and being thrown into the society of infidels, he tried the force of reasoning to prove to them their error, but this was unavailing. As a last resource he lent them his Testament, begging them, when too dispirited to find pleasure at the theatre or in the dance, to shut the door of their room upon themselves and the bible, and there study its sacred pages. In this way, he assured us, he had been the means of converting several. A poor nun came to confess to him. She told him of her sins and all her anxiety of mind. As usual, he lent her his bible. A few days after she returned, with clasped hands and streaming eyes, exclaiming, "Father L., I have found him!" "Whom, my sister? "The one that bore my sins! If the great God was made a curse for me, the malediction is abolished. Now what shall I do, not to be saved, but to show my love to my Saviour?" "Come out of your convent, since you are not happy in it, and with your fortune establish an orphan asylum." She did so, and the school is now in operation at Paris, but under Romanist influence.

After one of his sermons in a Romish seminary where he was a professor, another professor attacked his doctrines. The matter was argued and the superior decided in favour of Father L., when he in turn attacked his opponent with the question, "Is there salvation out of Christ ?" "Yes," exclaimed the other, "the pagan world, if they follow the "To prove light of nature, are saved." that," replied L., "you must burn the bible and burn the fathers of the church, for they all say the contrary." "Agreed," returned the other; "burn the bible if you will, and burn tradition, provided the Protestants are not in the right and the Roman church stands."

A few days afterward, as he was walking with another priest belonging to the university, his companion turned the conversation upon the Virgin Mary, exclaiming, "As for me, I never pray to God, for he is too wicked! I pray to the Virgin, because all I ask she gives me." This disgusted and horrified our friend, who was never a worshipper of Mary, and his disgust was increased at the fête of the Virgin. In the chapel of the seminary the image of Mary, decked with flowers, lace, and ribbons, was placed on the altar, and a priest standing beside it preached upon her divinity, saying that God the Father had despoiled himself of the attribute of mercy to give it to Mary, reserving to himself

When it came to L.'s turn he would not stir from his seat. The superior nodded to him to fulfil his duty, but in vain. He turned his back to the statue and so remained. Matters had now reached a crisis. He had to leave the seminary.

He soon after fell in with some evangelical protestants near Nismes, who advised him to abandon his profession as a priest. For that purpose he came to Lyons, had conversations with the evangelical pastor, and was about to Meanwhile he heard enter their service. that Dr. Devan had been a missionary to China, and thinking that he was probably a converted Romanist called upon him. He professes entire accordance with our views upon baptism, saying that infant baptism is a relic of Romish error, and that protestants can never say they are emancipated from tradition while they maintain this. After a Iong conversation with him, Dr. D. invited him to remain at family worship and then go with him to our evening meeting at the chapel. He readily consented, but when the members of the church who had collected about the door saw a priest coming in, consternation seized them all and they hastily dispersed, casting many a woe-begone look toward the man in the long robe, which is to them a sign of evil omen. May the Lord grant that their fears of him prove unfounded. and that, like Paul, he may be a chosen instrument of much good in this great city which is almost "wholly given to idolatry."

REPORT OF THE DEPUTATION TO HAMBURG.

The brethren who were deputed by the Baptist Union to attend the Triennial Conference have addressed to the Committee the following report :

DEAR BRETHREN,-As the Deputation appointed at the last Annual Session of the Union to attend the triennial Conference of the German baptist churches at Hamburg, we lay before you the following report of our proceedings, in order that, through you, it may reach the Union at its Annual Session of 1852.

With the view of forming a somewhat larger acquaintance with the churches than could have arisen from a visit to Hamburg exclusively, the deputation travelled by way of Berlin, and spent in that city Lord's day, July 20th. We attended both the services held at the baptist chapel on that day, and, by request, occupied a short portion of time, both in the morning and the afternoon, in addresses which were translated by the Rev.

could not in any respect have been more cordial or more gratifying.

From Berlin the deputation proceeded to Hamburg, on Monday, July 21st. The Conference opened on the 22nd, at seven o'clock in the morning. It consisted of pastors of churches comprehended in the three German Baptist Associations, of missionary agents, and colporteurs; amounting in the whole to between forty and fifty brethren. They sat de die in diem from seven o'clock in the morning till twelve; and from five in the afternoon till eight; the final sitting, which was held on Saturday, being protracted till two o'clock. Devotional services, which occupied two hours the first morning, occupied about one hour every other morning; and the evening sittings were devoted entirely to the reception of reports from the various brethren of the state and progress of the work in their hands. Beyond matters of form and routine, which were all attended to in due order, the business of the Conference consisted primarily in the reception of a report from a kind of missionary committee, appointed by a conference held not quite three years ago, and the first of its kind, to superintend generally the work of evangelization in its several departments; and the appointment of a similar body for the three years ensuing. The details presented by this Report, although chequered, were on the whole satisfactory and encouraging.

The time of the Conference at its morning sittings was engaged in the consideration of various topics, of greater or less importance, of some of which notice had been given beforehand. The principal of these appeared to be a plan for an organic union of the churches, which was brought forward by the Rev. Julius Köbner, one of the pastors of the church at Hamburg, in a lithographed paper which was distributed among the members, and a copy of which was handed to the deputation. The discussion of this proposition was extended, but inconclusive. In succession came up other subjects: the plurality of pastors; the statement of the confession of faith on the law of marriage; the qualifications of bishops, and the relation of missionstations to the churches on which they were dependent. On all these subjects there was much conversation; but upon no one was a deliverance come to but the first, on which a resolution was adopted recommending a plurality of pastors when circumstances might be found suitable. A proposal to publish an engraving of baptism was made and adopted.

The statements made by the brethren at the evening sittings were, we were assured, on the whole highly encouraging; the enlarging spheres of labour giving origin to a cry from many stations for help, both in men and

means.

* A translation of this document is appended to this Report.

The attention of the Deputation to the proceedings of the Conference was kindly facilitated by the Rev. G. W. Lehmann, who took notes of the whole in English on slips of paper, which were handed to us in rapid succession for our immediate information. Upon all subjects of interest the sentiments of the English brethren were requested; and the Deputation expressed themselves freely as the several topics were brought before them.

The reception of the Deputation was in every respect most gratifying. At the commencement of the proceedings the letter of the Committee by which they were to be introduced to the Conference (a translation having been effected for the purpose) was read, and the Deputation themselves requested to address the assembly, and both at the commencement and the close resolutions were unanimously passed, expressing the thanks of the Conference to the brethren who had taken the trouble to come, and to the body of Christians who had sent them. The latter resolution the Deputation were requested to convey, and they desire thus to acquit themselves of this obligation.

If the presence of the Deputation was, as we hope, gratifying to the German brethren, it was certainly gratifying to ourselves. It was evident by many proofs that we had come into contact with godly and devoted men, whose labours, already blessed, gave promise of more abundant fruitfulness. Our love towards them grew with our knowledge of them, and we shall bear the remembrance of our interview with us to the grave. Most worthy, in our judgment, are these faithful brethren of the affection and sympathy of British baptists.

How far the visit of the Deputation was useful as well as gratifying to the brethren, it is scarcely for us to say. Our impression, however, is that it was useful, sufficiently so to warrant in the fullest manner the expense and trouble occasioned by it. In the position which the continental baptists occupy, it is of no small advantage to them, both as it may affect their own conscience upon the one hand, and as it may affect their public estimation on the other, that a demonstration should be given of the identity of the baptists of this country with them: and in the determination of such topics as were brought under discussion, it can scarcely be altogether without benefit that the opinions of English brethren should be submitted, in conjunction with their own, to consideration and remark.

Commending the conduct of the Deputation in the fulfilment of their interesting mission to the kind acceptance of the Union, we subscribe ourselves, dear brethren,

Your faithful servants in Christ,
EDWARD STEANE,
J. H. HINTON.

These notes are at the service of the Committee.