foreigners call Tam-sui, is named by the natives How-mei or Haw-bey. It consists only of a few long straggling streets, with perhaps four or five thousand of a population, but it is difficult to conjecture on a few days' visit. The situation is very beautiful on the north side of the estuary

have just received from the Rev. Carstairs town at which the shipping lies, which Douglas, from Formosa. That island lies two to three hundred miles east of Amoy, and forms part of the province of Fuhkien. Williams, in "The Middle Kingdom," speaks of it as containing a population of two millions and a-half; and represents the island as fertile, possessing a salubrious climate, well watered, and in of the river, catching the south-west every respect meriting the name of Formosa. No attempt seems ever to have been made to Christianise it; and this occasion would seem to be the first time that the "glad tidings of good things" have been carried there.

wind and the sea breeze. On each side of the estuary the hills rise first in gentle slopes, covered with rich harvests, then suddenly towering into two noble mountains, 2,000 or 3,000 feet high, seeming to guard the entrance to the fertile interior. These hills, where not yet brought under cultivation, are abundantly clothed with grass or trees, even to the summits. The lowest slope of the northern hill comes down close to the water, so that the second street from the beach is built

Mr. Burns, in a letter from Amoy, referring to Mr. Douglas and Mr. Mackenzie having sailed for Formosa, says,— "We hope that they may have opportunities of doing good, and that their visit may be a step towards the opening of the missionary field in that important on the brow an excellent situation for island. Opium and Popery are already there before us." The annual meeting of the Association in Scotland that sent Mr. Douglas to Amoy, takes place here on Monday next. Might not some steps then be taken to carry out Mr. Burns's and Mr Douglas's desire to send the Gospel to Formosa ?

Mr. Douglas's letter is dated,

Barque "Asia,"

Tam-sui Harbour, Formosa,
October 1st, 1860.

We left Amoy on the 19th September,
and entered this harbour on the 24th in
safety. Having brought along two of
the Amoy Christians and a good supply
of books, we have been busy last week
evangelising in this region. I am not
aware whether the Dutch did any mission
work during their occupation of the
island about 200 years ago; but since
then, at least, I believe this is the first
proclamation of the Gospel in Formosa.
The name Tam-sui seems to belong not
to any town, but to the whole northern
part of the island. The chief city of this
northern district (and, as far as I
hear, the only walled city in the north
end) is called in the colloquial Tek-
chham, and in some foreign maps is
marked Tam-sui city. It lies near the
coast, about forty or fifty miles south-
west from this place. This harbour is
only about ten miles from the extreme
north point of the island, at the mouth
of a very considerable river. It is be-
lieved to be the only tolerable harbour
on the whole north-west coast. The

foreign houses, if this should be fixed on as the consular port of the island.

We have also visited the only large town in the neighbourhood, called in colloquial Bang-kah. It lies some ten miles up the river, in the midst of a magnificent plain, completely surrounded by mountains, except where the waters make their way to this harbour. The plain is quite level, all intersected by the branches of the river, it may be some twelve or fifteen miles in diameter, and is of great fertility. Its one large town is Bangkah, a flourishing place; population probably above 50,000. The principal streets are broad, and filled with excellent shops; the footpaths on each side are about ten feet broad, completely shaded from end to end by excellent roofs, supported by brick arches. There, and in a populous suburb of the same appearance, we spent three days with most excellent opportunities of evangelising, living in a long covered boat. This whole region is colonised from the departments of Changchew and Chin-chew,-that is, from the country round Amoy. A very large proportion of the people have themselves emigrated from the continent. The language is exactly the same dialect; indeed, it is so all over Formosa. For this reason, and the constant intercourse by native and foreign vessels, it would seem proper that this part should be evangelised by the same missions that are already established at Amoy. We meet with a great many persons who have heard the Gospel at Amoy. It seems quite strange, after crossing the sea, to

The best room in the house (the

find the very same dialect, while a to descend on this locality as had fallen on hundred miles, or even seventy, on the other districts. Friday evening was fixed mainland, would bring us to unintel-on. ligible dialects. Therefore the call from drawing room) was set apart for the Formosa is very strong to us, and our purpose. Persons of all classes assembled, American brethren and the London Mis- and took part in the proceedings. It was sionary Society. There is abundant a little Evangelical Alliance. Members of four or five denominations were present room for all in the numerous cities and week by week, and led the exercises by wide plains of this great island, of which turns. Very quickly the fruits began to we have but seen one small corner. appear, first in the unreserve and openness Come over and help us " should ring in of heart with which every one poured out our ears, even till the Word of God shall his desires before God, in the catholic spirit be glorified here also. breathed by all, in the joy which pervaded the meeting, and in the increasing numbers who attended. At first about forty were present. This number soon rose to sixty; the sixty became seventy, and the seventy eighty, until, in the course of a few months, there were as many as one hundred and

A FAMILY REVIVED.

From the" United Presbyterian Missionary thirty or one hundred and forty in weekly

Record."

THE following narrative relates to a family in one of our congregations, which, like not a few others, has been blessed with revival. A considerable number of hopeful conversions have lately taken place in that congregation. The details that follow are given by the minister, who for just reasons withholds the names of persons and places. These details strikingly illustrate the power of intercession, and encourage us to CONTINUE instant in prayer. There has never been a time when meetings for prayer have been so numerous, and so largely attended throughout our church, as they have been of late. In 1857, the estimated attendance at prayer-meetings over the United Presbyterian Church was about 12,000; in 1858 it had risen to 18,000; whereas in 1859 it reached 40,000. Let such facts as those embodied in the striking narrative that follows be accepted every where as an encouragement to "wait patiently for the Lord." Who can imagine that the present is a time for relaxing attendance at meetings for prayer?

attendance on this so-called private prayermeeting. Three or four apartments of the house having become filled, an adjournment was made to an adjoining warehouse; and there the meetings have been going on since, as often as the much-looked-for Friday evenings come round. The prayerhearing God sent an abundant blessing. Not a few among the young were stirred up to inquire anxiously after the way of salva tion. The question, Have I found Christ for myself? came to be more closely dealt with. Personal salvation became the prominent subject before the mind, and was felt to be the "one thing needful." Partly through this prayer-meeting, partly through the preaching of the Gospel on the Lord's day, and partly through the influence of other prayer-meetings in the village, a considerable number of cases at length occurred, where a genuine work of the Spirit of God in turning from darkness to light seemed to have been accomplished. A fresh infusion of spiritual life was imparted to many of God's people themselves, and a time of refreshing was experienced.

The Lord blessed Obed-edom, and all his A highly respected member of our Chris- household, for having kept the ark of God tian community (an elder in my own in his dwelling three months; and in like church), has had a very striking manifesta- manner did he bless this family circle. Not tion of God's providential goodness made indeed at first. Two or three months to him and his family within the past passed away without any apparent change twelvemonth. In September, 1859, he paid on any of the five members of whom it was a visit to the north of Ireland, to see and composed. A dark cloud then came over hear for himself the doings of God's mighty their dwelling, as if God were about to hand in the revival movement going on answer their prayers by terrible things. there, with which he was so much delighted, First, the mother was seized with a danthat on his return home he called together gerous illness; then one after another of a meeting of his friends and acquaintances, the family, including the father, until the and gave them a thrilling narrative of the whole, with the exception of the eldest son, scenes and experiences he had met with, were laid prostrate by the power of disease. winding up by calling upon them to meet The prayer-meeting in the house went on weekly in his house, for the purpose of still better attended, the exercises increasing supplicating a shower of the same blessings in fervour. It was soon found that the

cloud, though dark, was full of blessing. length he came to that memorable passage, One of the sons became hopefully impressed," But God, who is rich in mercy, for his and by and by gave satisfactory evidence of great love wherewith he loved us, even having undergone a saving change. The when we were dead in sin, hath quickened only daughter next became first an anxious us together with Christ," &c. Instantly inquirer, and then a convert very shortly the thought struck him, God loved us when after. The second son, who had returned we were dead in sin. Dead in sin! That home ill of consumption, and beyond hope is precisely what I am; and yet God loved of recovery, was added to the list of the us when dead in sin. It is possible that triumphs of free and sovereign grace, and God loves me now, notwithstanding that I died in the faith and hope of the Gospel. have become dead in sin? In a moment he The eldest son, I regret to say, had begun was down on his knees, crying for a sense to turn his back upon religion, and had for- of God's pardoning love to be revealed to saken the paths of virtue. Though not yet his soul. Without thinking of the presence arrived at the stage of confirmed infidelity, of his fellow-psssengers, he continued for he had been in the practice of scoffing at the some time absorbed in that cry for the religious services carried on in his father's revelation of God's pardoning mercy to his house on the Friday evenings, and generally mind, and he was heard. He rose in a few alluded to the subject of revivals with minutes under the conviction that God a sneer. Towards the end of May last he really loved him, and was pacified toward left this district for Edinburgh, in the pro-him for all that he had done. During the secution of his vocation. There, being rest of the journey he continued in a kind beyond the reach of parental instruction of dream of joy, his thoughts wholly and example, and led on by wicked com- absorbed in the new prospect-the marpanions, he went down the hill more vellous light-which had dawned upon him. rapidly, and to all appearance would soon On reaching home, he found his father in have become a wreck in the course of the garden, and saluted him with the exprofligacy, but that he was a child of many pression, "Oh, papa, I am all right now." prayers, and grace was in store for him. His father thinking he referred to the state One evening, being in a melancholy mood, of his finances, replied, "What! are your he was led to ask himself, What will all debts all paid?" "No; it is not that this course of crime lead to ? and suddenly I refer to, but something more important." the passage struck him with terrible power, Looking him earnestly in the face, his "The end of those things is death." He father again said, "Is it possible you have became greatly alarmed; many Scripture found Christ ?" "Yes," was the reply. statements which he had learned at the "Yes, I have found him; and I would not Sabbath school, and in his father's house, give him for a thousand worlds." The came up to his mind, and drove home the family circle were immediately assembled, arrow. There it rankled in his heart, with- and a full detail of the remarkble experience out any power on his part to extract it. of the last twenty-four hours given by our Night came on, but he was restless. He young friend; at the close of which all lay tossing on his pillow, the victim of re- present kneeled in prayer, and three times morse. Morning came, but with it no alle-over poured out their united supplications viation. He went to his place of business; and thanksgivings to the Father of mercies still it was impossible to find relief. He for his abounding goodness to them in reshut the office-door, and wandered along the street, the very picture of despair, and deeming none out of the place of woe more miserable than he. At length, hearing the whistle of the engine, it occurred to him to go home. He examined his pockets, and found he had just as much left over as would carry him there. He immediately started by the train then leaving.

claiming the wanderer, and restoring a lost son and brother to the arms of Christian affection. This over, the father began to think of the very last office in which he had been engaged previous to his entering the garden, where his unexpected interview had taken place with his son. He had been writing to a Christian friend respecting God's dealings with his family; and, unconscious of the Divine goodness which had already been extended to him, the last words he had penned were these: "Poor

is no better-rather worse; he

It strongly occurred to him to put an end to his wretched existence; but there were too many around him to permit this being done successfully. He found a gentleman with a packet of tracts; and as he had is still going on in his wicked ways as not yet lost every ray of hope, he asked a much as ever. O do pray for him, that the loan of one of these little messengers of power of Divine grace may touch his heart, mercy, in the faint idea of finding some re- and that he may be brought to a knowledge lief to his parched soul. Eagerly he read of the error of his ways." He now took down the page, seeking for a drop of living up the pen again, and added the following water to cool his tormented spirit. At words: "I had written thus far, when

I

not but think that the earnest and sincere Christian men who promoted them deserved esteem. Coming to speak more particularly of their efforts, Mr. M'Culloch said, "But is a revival desirable which is brought to us through the agency of laymen? Brethren, revival is desirable, come how it may. I have never felt as some feel on the subject of lay preaching. It looks like the leaven of Rome to be jealous of lay agents, for if they have the necessary knowledge and grace and faculty for speaking, it seems to me little else than the ancient priesteraft of Rome to forbid their services. I speak not, of course, of laymen occupying the pulpit instead of ministers, a practice to be discouraged on different grounds, and liable to various serious objections of a different kind; but I speak simply in the meantime of lay agency

most unexpectedly God answered my prayer in the joy of my heart, and now the dead is alive again the lost is found. have now to ask you, not to pray for his conversion, but to help us to thank God for having in his abundant grace answered our many prayers, and filled our tabernacle with the voice of rejoicing and salvation." At the very time when the eventful struggle was going on in the mind of the young man in-the train coming from Edinburgh, both his parents, all unconscious of the cloud of blessing that was in store for them, were engaged in the exercise of wrestling prayer on behalf of their son, the father, at a prayer-meeting, supplicating the Divine throne for converting grace to unrepenting sinners; and the mother, in her closet, putting God in remembrance of his promises, and holding him by the girdle of his faithfulness. The latter rose from her knees in the attitude of looking up and expecting an answer; yet, when the answer came, she could scarcely believe it. And in supplement of the regular ministry. What both parents were led to follow the example of the nobleman of Capernaum, to inquire at what hour the change took place; and on observing it was the same hour when they had been importunately knocking at the gate of mercy, they found additional reason to believe the word and promise of God, their heavenly Father.

LAY PREACHING.

harm can result from laymen of high character and thorough Christian principle addressing their neighbours on the common salvation, reading the Word of God to them, praying with them, and exhorting them to flee from the wrath to come? Nay, we have far too little of this. Some may think that lay teaching, lay preaching, lay praying, lay leadership in things sacred, may tend to bring the ministers of religion into contempt. No, it will not, provided ministers teach better, preach better, pray better, lead better than they. Brethren, when I look at the On a recent Sabbath forenoon, the Rev. remarkable prominence of lay agency in the Colin M'Culloch, first minister of Montrose, great revival movement throughout this delivered a discourse on this subject in the country, I cannot help thinking that God's Old Church there, from the words, "Wilt voice is in this matter warning the ministers thou not revive us again?" The congre- of religion and the Church in general, of the gation numbered upwards of 3,000. After great danger into which they have brought pointing out the nature of true revival as themselves by their strifes and discords. laid down in the Word of God, he proceeded Ministers divide, and strive, and quarrel; to refer to some of the symptoms by which they will not unite for any one grand the movement had been characterised, mak- object of Christianity without sectarian and ing special reference to the tendency so selfish scheming for party purposes. They common with many to indulge in fallacious cannot do God's work. marks of conversion, and to divide the carry on his work without them. Ministers people into "converted” and “unconverted." are left quarreling over their points and Many were really converts without any claims and boundary lines, while laymen physical manifestations, and many others are raised up by God to do the work. The were not converts who had passed through people are sick at heart of the strifes and great agony and dark trials. But as to the quarrels of the clergy; they long to realize fruits of the movement, he said, they must the sweetness of unity, and they rise in one wait patiently; aud, while those who con-mass at the unsectarian voice of the laymen ducted revival gatherings sometimes mis- who know how to tell them simply of their took the means to be used, still he could Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."-Courant,

Well, God will

there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones. spied the sepulchres that were out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar."-2 KINGS xxiii. 16.

THE pious king, in his endeavour to destroy all trace of idolatry, not only overthrew the groves, with their altars, but even burnt the remains of those who had formerly taken part in the idolatry which his father encouraged. Ezekiel (xxiv. 10), when foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem, under the similitude of a boiling vessel, says, "Heap on wood let the bones be burned." After the return of the Jews from captivity, the valley of Hinnom, in which they had sacri left at ficed to Moloch, became an object of filth, together with the bodies of scorn and contempt. malefactors, were thrown into it, where, as a sanitary precaution, fires were kept burning.