using to the same extent the simple means of success which are here so naturally presented. As I am unwilling to lengthen the report needlessly, I shall merely add, that the pulpit of Penge Church was opened for the first time for the Society this year; that the annual meetings were held in Stockwell and Isleworth; that meetings were held for the first time in Highbury Grange; and in Mr. Edmondstone's school house, in Upper Holloway; that for the first time also meetings were held in St. John's school room, in Notting Hill; in St. John's school room, at Horsley Down; and in the school house at Acton; whilst, for the first time, sermons were preached in Battersea Parish Church, and in Christ Church, Stanstead. A drawing-room meeting was held in Chichester, in the house of the Rev. C. P. Phinn; in each of these cases there were peculiar features of interest, but it is impossible to present each sepa rately; sufficient has been said to show that God is advancing and blessing the work, to Him be the glory and the praise.

WM. GRAY.

The Land of the South.

LINES BY THE LATÉ MR. G. PHILLIPS.

The following unpretending lines, indicative, as they are, of the author's deep interest in the Missionary work in Tierra del Fuego, will be read with interest now that he has laid down his life in the cause.

Tierra del Fuego, tho' so long unheeded,

Tho' left to thy sins and thy sorrows alone,
Thy people a terror, thy shores so much dreaded,
Thou shalt perish no longer, unpitied, unknown,
But awake to the dawn of far happier days,
Suffused with the light of the Gospel's bright rays.
There's hope yet for thee.

Again strike the lyre, for silence is shameful,
And in sweet notes of music the tidings proclaim,
That this desolate land, and its people so sinful,
Have heard of Jehovah, and Jesu's dear name.
Oh! England, my country, we bid thee rejoice,
Be true to thy standard, respond to the voice

That summons thee on.

From mountain height, from hill to hill,
The craggy cliffs are sounding still;
The echo on its rocky shores
Prolongs the voice-a piteous cry-

'Tis from Fuegia's agony,

And help for dying souls implores.

God has, in His Holy Word, plainly declared,

One common brotherhood throughout the wide world;
And in the seal'd covenant fully prepared
Salvation for all men.-The banner unfurl'd,
Now floats in the South,-the Cross to display,
Emblem of freedom from sin's cruel sway,

And misery dire.

Land of the South! we now haste to explore thee;
Tierra del Fuego, deliverance we bring;

List to the messenger-"Power and glory
Freely are given by Christ, our great King,
Yea, even to thee, tho' for ages passed by;
Look up and rejoice-thy redemption draws nigh.

Salvation receive."

O mountain height, O woodland dell,
To all thy wandering people tell
Thy wish, a "hope deferred," not lost,
Which in due season, as life's tree,
Shall bud and blossom liberty,

And bear rich fruit, a ransom'd host.

Letter from Rev. A. W. Gardiner, M. A.

We have much pleasure in again presenting to our readers portions of our latest communication from the Rev. A. W. Gardiner. The information is important, and we beg the earnest attention of the friends of the Mission to it. Not only have we the satisfaction of knowing that at Lota a school has been actually established, and that the children receive cordially the scriptural instruction conveyed to them, but we have the assurance that "there is no bar to the development of the Indian Mission, but expense." The new President is favourable to complete religious toleration. In a country like Chili, where Protestant Missionary effort has hitherto been kept in abeyance by the jealous watchfulness, and opposition of Romanism, the present position of affairs is most encouraging to the efforts of our Mission.

The Society, then, has a basis of operations at Lota, and a school formed under the superintendence of the Rev. A. W. Gardiner. To this school four Chilenos are already admitted, and the children of Indian chiefs will, we trust, eventually be added.

Free access to the Indian tribes is presented to Protestant Missionaries; and the late vigorous policy of the Chilian government in dealing with the "Williches," a restless and troublesome tribe of natives, has tended to give additional security to persons travelling in the neighbouring territory.

Our readers will be glad to know that a Catechist is likely to join Mr. Gardiner shortly. We wish we could announce the departure not of a Catechist only, but of a Clergyman likewise. But we hope we shall not have

H

long to wait ere a suitably-qualified minister of Christ offers himself for the work.

"Lota, April 9, 1861.

"My dear Mr. Stirling,—I have received your letter, dated February 1, and marked No. 2; and am glad to find that, by anticipation, your instructions respecting the school have been fulfilled. It has succeeded so far very well. The people attend the Sunday services very regularly. The Sunday school is well sustained; and the day school is full. Twenty is the number I fixed. The charge is one dollar (four shillings) per month. My gong is most useful in the absence of clocks, &c. in summoning the children to school, and most of them come early, so that they hear it to better advantage. Four of the children are Chilenos; but as my rule is that all must learn alike, they join in the school prayers and Scripture lessons.

"There is no bar to the development of the Indian Mission here, but expense. Perez is the new President, so there is but little fear of a revolution. The development of the Indian Mission from Lota now only awaits your orders. Any practical plan can be carried out, now that the Williches are driven back, and the country quiet. These Williches have been a most troublesome tribe to the Chilenos, and their Indian allies. The government woke up, this year, however, and sent two war steamers to protect the mines, and an army against the Williches. The expedition was well planned and well executed. The Williches were driven back at all points, several thousand head of cattle taken from them, and a strip of border territory, between them and the coast Indians, was burnt, with all the villages and crops. The government have now promised to defend the mines from all future alarms, and have accordingly established

a new province of territory between the Bio-bio, and the Imperial. The seat of government to be in Arauco Bay.

"In a few years time I hope we shall have small steamers plying on these rivers; and whilst civilisation ploughs along with gold and iron and leaden feet, the Gospel may fly on eagle wings to the tribes beyond, who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.

"A more lonely and wild looking spot than Lota one seldom sees. The heavy ground-swell from the Pacific Ocean moans rather than dashes on the sides of the little coves that indent Arauco Bay. The huge shadowy forest of Villagran seems in the glimmering twilight to be marching down to the long sand beach that stretches between Lota and Coronel. On the left of us are the mines of Lota and Chambique; and that thin line of lights belongs to the miners returning from their work. And yet this dreamy, quiet, picturesque place is not without its links to the civilised world. The Indians ride in with their skin leggings and bamboo lances, but so they have for years and years. The fisherman, like his father and grandfather before him, is seen groping for mussels, spearing crabs, or, as everything must be done here on horseback, riding amongst the waves with a net attached to his horse, whilst the lazy vultures look idly on waiting for their share, and the porpoises gambol at a safe distance, beating the horse easily in their own element. But these items, though pleasant as episodes, would be very stagnant and monotonous, per se. The great fact of this place is the English mail steamer with its union-jack, which three times a month (twice from Valparaiso and once from Valdivia) visits this cove; and the Yankee steamer which every other Saturday comes from Valparaiso to Coronel; and in the numerous