he has read in the Gospels, and in some of the Protestant books, appears to him to be the truest and nearest to the New Testament of all the Christian Churches.

"The Jew, who likewise became a Mohammedan several years ago, is one with whom I have had frequent intercourse previously, but he never manifested such earnestness as on this occasion. He came, as he himself expressed it to our colporteur on a subsequent day, with his mind made up to leave his family and his property, and begged that I would recommend to him some place out of Turkey where he could go and make an open profession of the Christian religion, and where he could spend the remainder of his days among Christians. I told him that the place where I would recommend him openly to profess the Christian religion, is decidedly the very place in which he now is with his family and friends, without being ashamed or afraid of any one; and I further told him that in this way he might be the instrument in God's hand of leading his family and many others besides, to the knowledge of the truth."

In regard to Salonica as a missionary field, it is added, in the Home and Foreign Missionary Record of the Church of Scotland:

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"But while it is pleasing to know that our Missionaries find an open door of entrance both among our fellowcountrynien and the Mohammedans, it is particularly encouraging to know that the field of labour more especially entrusted to their care is most promising, and appears already to be' white unto harvest.' The Jews of Salonica are in a most accessible and hopeful state. Indeed, Mr. Rosenberg says, that if this field is only sufficiently supplied with earnest labourers, and favoured, (as we trust it will be in answer to the prayers of many,) with the blessing of God, he should not wonder if in a few years we succeeded in collecting a large congregation. The Missionaries of other Churches, he says, are not ignorant of its promise, nor indifferent to its necessities. Let us not delay to come to the help of the Lord, and in every possible way to aid our Missionaries who have just entered on their labours. May He who of old stood by Paul in Thessalonica, and blessed his labours both to Jews and Greeks, stand by and strengthen our Missionaries, so that with great power they may bear witness unto the truth, and of the Jews a great multitude may be made obedient to the faith, and of the devout Greeks not a few."

JAMAICA.

BOOKS IN GRAVE STONES.

SOME years ago, a missionary in Jamaica received from the British and Foreign Bible Society a grant of Testaments for the use of such Negroes as could read. Having assembled his sable flock, after mentioning the receipt of this valuable present, he intimated that he thought, by using proper exertions, they might all learn to read within twelve months, and promised that as soon as they could read it, they should each receive one of the Testaments for private use. At first their faces brightened up, but the question recurring, How can this be done? it speedily caused the smile to vanish. The good pastor, guessing the cause of the speechless perplexity, intimated that, since a certain number of the congregation could read, if they would each teach five who could not, the aim would soon be accomplished. Thirty Negroes accepted the word of exhortation, and volunteered their services.

An obstacle, however-like that which impedes the progress of too many Ragged Schools, namely, the want of adequate machinery-met these earnest-minded labourers at the very outset. They did not like to degrade the Bible into a mere lesson book, and they had no means of obtaining regular school books. How, then, they were to explain the mysteries of the alphabet became a grave question. With that facile suggestiveness which is native to the Negro mind, they resolved, since they had no lesson book, to teach the alphabet, ay, and even reading, without books! Thereupon, after due notice, they assembled their illiterate brethren in the grave-yards; and there, by means of the quaint epitaphs, they taught the alphabet and the rudiments of reading.

AN EXAMPLE FOR IDLE CHRISTIANS.

Some months after the pastor had made his proposition for the knowers to teach the unlearned, he met an aged Negro leaving his hut long after the sun had set below the horizon. In reply to a question, the man indicated a distant village as his destination. "Why," said the good missionary, "that is seven miles off-what are you going there for at this late hour?" The Negro replied, while a smile irradiated his countenance: "Massa knows, massa knows! me go to teach five Christian broders to read Bible -but me always find THIRTY there!"

With our Sunday Schools crammed, and hundreds turned

away from the doors because teachers cannot be found for the learners, ought not some of our readers, who have not yet been hired as labourers by the great Master-worker, to take a hint from this poor Negro, enslaved in body, but a true freedman of the Lord? He felt the Bible to be too precious to his soul to permit a lock to remain on the chest containing this veritable gold of Ophir; and so, in the darksome night, he plodded many a weary mile to distribute the costly ore, until before long he was refreshed by hearing his black brethren exclaim, "The gold of that land is good."-To you, then, O idler, is it written, "Go thou and do likewise!"-Ragged School Union Magazine.

THE EVANGELISTIC WORK IN THE SARDINIAN ARMY WHEN IN. THE EAST.

THE following extracts are from a letter, from Mr. Duncan Matheson, addressed to Major Gibb, published in the Morning Advertiser :

CONSTANTINOPLE, July 16, 1856.

"MY DEAR FRIEND,-Now that a calm has come over us, since most of the allied army have left, and, consequently, the pressure of work is not so great, I have found a little leisure to write to you regarding my proceedings since I arrived,-proceedings in which I am assured you are deeply interested, because they concern the kingdom of the Lord Jesus and the advancement of his glory on earth, and, therefore, unattended with the pomp and glory of things passing, evanescent, dying.

"Immediately after reaching this I went to Yenikoi, on the Bosphorus, where the large Sardinian hospital has been for the last eighteen months. On my arrival being known, many of the Sardinian officers and soldiers visited me, asking for Bibles, and each evincing a deeper interest than another who should be first served. Night after night the Locanda where I had my residence was crowded, and as I had to return often for supplies, I had generally a crowd waiting the steamer's arrival. I cannot picture to you the many heart-thrilling scenes I witnessed. Again and again have I seen men scarce able to walk coming and asking for the living Word. Again and again have I seen officers of rank, side by side with their poor though noble soldiers, asking for the same treasure, and greatly helping me in my work; and night after night has the

same pressure continued. Again and again have I seen soldiers that for months had been sick, and had been removed from place to place, holding up the Testaments given last summer, and now eagerly asking for the whole volume of inspiration.

"A stock of the best books had also reached me, and as eagerly were they looked for, and carefully studied. The greatest favourites were the Assembly of Westminster's Shorter Catechism,' the 'Pilgrim's Progress,' and 'Paleiro on the Benefit of Christ's death.' All being supplied at Yenikoi, I hastened to the Crimea to meet them ere they left.

"My arrival soon became known, and the first day 700 soldiers and officers visited me. I did not offer one copy. I never left the house. I told only one or two at first, and like wildfire it spread through the camp. Day after day the house was besieged. Soon the supply failed, and it was painful to have to send hundreds away emptyhanded. Often in the act of embarking they had come to offer all they had for a copy, that they might carry it to their homes, as a gift to the parents they loved. In some cases it was gladdening to see the results of last year's distribution. All prejudice had given way, all opposition been silenced, all ranks had been pervaded by the same spirit; and in some cases living conversions to God had been the result. One especially is striking: A soldier of the name of Paolo, having a desire for reading, called in August 1855, and had a Testament given him. He began to read it; he was interested: he had never seen it before; he was awakened, and, unable to contain the intensity of his feelings, he came to Balaklava, asking for one who had left; he was directed to one well able to instruct him, and who has done much, very much, in carrying on this work. Soon the state of his mind was revealed, and time after time did he come for instruction. At length it pleased the Lord to lead him by his Spirit to behold the Lamb of God, and his soul was set at liberty. High hopes were entertained of his being raised up to preach the glorious gospel to others. The Lord saw otherwise, and he was laid on a bed of suffering and death. In his last hours he was urged to confess and get extreme unction, but his reply was, 'I have confessed to Christ; he and he only can save, all my hope is in him.' Shortly after he fell asleep.

"In the Crimea and Yenikoi I had the pleasure of giving, since the 1st April-Italian Bibles, 2147; Testa

ments, 1230; French Bibles to Savoyards, 300, besides 4000 books and tracts. Above 250 Bibles have been given to officers of all grades: and instead of in any case hindering the work, they have forwarded it. It would be wrong to say much of the desire has been spiritual to possess the Word, yet it has been given, in no case forced; and surely it is matter of deepest gratitude, to think of 18,000 copies of the Scriptures having gone to Piedmont from the Crimea, a place they were the most unlikely to receive it in, and in circumstances the most adverse to its taking root.

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"Who, oh who, can tell the results that may yet follow? Piedmont, the exile's home-the only spot where a man can breathe-where he can express his convictions, and worship free of danger-where all around is a dark despotism, and under the withering blight of Rome's dark sway, may soon be gained to Christ. Nobly, in the struggle now closed, has she done her part-nobly have her soldiers fought-nobly sustained the name of Italy. The eyes of the world look on with interest. Excommunicated by Rome, she seeks the light; and though Romanism still holds sway, and infidelity, the fruit of it, greatly increases, yet the path, we believe, is onward; and the prayer of all who fear the Lord ought to be in her behalf. Statesmen stand aghast at the state of Italy, and how to solve the problem of her wrongs and miseries they cannot tell. The truth, and the truth alone, shall make her free. A nation free without the truth is impossible. We may be called to see many struggles-we may be called to exercise much patience, and often have our hopes sadly disappointed-but it will come. How it cheers in anticipation-how it stirs to prayer-how it excites to effort,-the thought of the truth prevailing in that land, around which our affections cling! that land long down-trodden and oppressed-fair and lovely, yet cursed by the deadly poison of the man of sin, and groaning under the heel of the oppressor. From thee the Word has long been withheld, and, for daring to read it, thy sons and daughters have languished in thy gloomy prisons; but the truth shall and will ultimately triumph. Oh, my Father, hasten it in thy time. It is time for thee to work, for men have made void thy law.' Had I time, I might tell you of the distribution of the Word amongst the Russians and French; (D.V.) at another time I may. Suffice it to say, since 1st April, the Russian soldiers in the Crimea have had 480 copies given them, and the French 1520."