In a Revival, all feel how good a thing it is for "brethren to dwell together in unity." This has been delightfully exemplified in the present Revival. Party distinctions have, on many occasions, been merged, and party animosities annihilated. If Christians have not seen eye to eye, as to doctrinal or other matters, they have felt as one. Union meetings have been the order of the day. This is as it should be; and, if the Revival were universal, this feeling would also be universal. Who wishes not to see such a consummation?

4. It has been made a cause of holy quickening to many languid churches. There are members of churches that may bless God for the Revival. Before it came they were low, and cold, and dead; but there has been a quickening into new life. There are now warmth, animation, and vigour, stronger and more healthy pulsations, and all the indications and evidences of renewed life and energy. The Presbyterians in Ireland were in a poor, frigid condition previously to the Revival; but it made them one again. Some time ago, a speaker on the platform, in this town, remarked that the Revival in Ireland had made the Presbyterians into Methodists, and the Methodists into better Methodists than before. Our own interest in Ireland was, we all know, in a languishing state before the gracious Revival visitation; but now the waste places of our Zion are built up, and the song of salvation is sung both by old and new friends, with happy hearts and happy voices. The change is one that gladdens our souls, and fills our hearts with gratitude to the gracious Giver of all good. Would that every church, not only in Ireland, but throughout the world, might experience the Revival influence!

5. It has been accomplished, to a great extent, by apparently weak and unlikely instrumentalities. As if more fully and convincingly to show that the work is not of man but of God, it is, we believe, nowhere traceable to any extraordinary gifts possessed by those

who have been the principal agents in bringing it about. It owes not its paternity or continuance, even instrumentally, to intellectual or literary greatness. Both in America and in Ireland laymen have been extensively useful, and even the young converts have been very successful in spreading the leaven of the Revival. The most simple means, used with earnestness and prayer, seem for the most part to have accomplished the work. Far be it from us to insinuate that gifted men, ministers and others, have had no hand in the Revival movement. Such a statement would be a slander and a falsehood. We only say that the Revival, in its origin and progress, has not been dependent upon them; and that they have had to come down to the simplest methods in helping on the gracious work. God has in this instance, as he not unfrequently has done before, chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty, that no flesh may glory in his presence. He can use any means. He can either employ learned celebrities or unlettered fishermen.

6. Means should be used to keep up the Revival spirit, and to extend and perpetuate the glorious movement. We cannot suppose that Jehovah wishes the Revival to die out. Such a supposition would involve criminal unbelief, and be a foul reflection on Him who wishes all men to be saved, and come to a knowledge of the truth. And if the Revival is to be maintained and increased, what means are necessary there to? This is a question worthy the serious and devout consideration of all Christian men. The subject should be taken up everywhere, and be earnestly discussed-discussed in such a way as to issue in practical results. In the present state of affairs-we mean as to the Revival-much, very much, depends on the church. We are too prone to be fearful and timid on the Revival subject, and to be too particular about everything being done according to a prescribed routine;

and, in our anxiety to avoid the Charybdis of wild excitement, extravagance, and reaction, we too often strike on the Scylla of unbelief, and hard and cold sterility. We say at the present juncture a great work devolves on the church - not on ministers and church officers merely, on whom a too exclusive dependence is frequently placed, but on the whole church. Every one has something to do, and every one should be willing to do it. In places where a good work has been experienced, the young converts need much care and attention. For want of this they are often lost. Plans of usefulness should also be everywhere concerted, and not only concerted, but worked. In this point we frequently fail. Is there anything Utopian in believing that we might have a constant Revival, if the church could be got to do its duty? We are persuaded there is not. Only let the church, as a whole, be more exemplary, more devoted, more prayerful, more earnest, more liberal, and more constantly active, and we shall have a universal Revival-sin shall soon disappear, and the world be converted to God. L. S.

Newcastle-on-Tyne.

P.S.-In last month's article, Ferryden was printed Perryden. There were also two typographical errors, but not of much moment, in the article on "Christian Holiness." L. S.

THE REVIVAL MOVEMENT IN IRELAND.

AFTER the lapse of some months since any intelligence with regard to the Revival movement in Ireland appeared in our pages, it may not be amiss to state that the work is still proceeding.

Many were the assertions of those opposed to the Revival that it would be but a thing of weeks, or a few months at most, and then those influenced by it would fall back into cold indifferentism and formalism. But the movement has now been fairly tested by time, and, for one, I know not of a single case in which any one who professed conversion has gone back to his former habits;

whether the cases were those of persons being "stricken down," or of persons converted in a more calm and orderly way, they remain remarkably steadfast. I may mention, too, en passant, that my acquaintance with individuals brought under the influence of the Revival spirit is as extensive, perhaps, as that of any one in the locality, being a reporter in connection with the oldest journal in Ireland, and the leading daily journal in Ulster.

Never was there a Revival of religion in which there has been less reaction. The converts-many of them changed from the lowest depths of sin and wickedness-are nobly maintaining their Christian profession. They are honouring God, labouring in his cause, and continuing steadfast in the faith.

The religious spirit which pervades the entire Protestant community is most remarkable. Every place of worship has been attended as well on Sundays, during the severity of winter, as in the warmth and sunshine of summer. Slight showers, in former years, would have kept even church-going people in their homes-nay, clouds overhead would have been sufficient to do it: but now neither clouds nor rain deter them from being in the house of God. The weekly union prayermeeting, held on Wednesdays, from one till two o'clock, has been attended by crowded congregations, in the midst of all the storms of a very severe winter, the Music Hall being filled on each occasion. The weekly union prayer-meeting, held each Saturday afternoon, from three till four o'clock, in the Victoria Hall, has been equally well attended throughout the entire winter season. A daily union prayer-meeting was opened in the Philharmonic Rooms, in the middle of this severe weather; and no sooner was it made known that such had been established, than the rooms became filled daily from twelve to one o'clock. There was no particular excitement to attract persons to those meetings-nothing but the simple prayer of pious laymen, and occasionally of ministers.

The expectations as to future good are most hopeful. The fact that dozens of requests for special prayer -requests of a most interesting character-are read at every union prayer-meeting, together with requests for thanksgivings to be offered up for mercies received, give an index as to the state of the public mind with regard to religious matters. A more gracious influence may still be looked for in Ulster. The large open-air union prayermeetings will be renewed with the fine weather in summer, and copious blessings may be expected on these meetings. Thousands are praying for the progress of the work-the work is progressing, and it will still further progress.

Amongst our own congregations the movement is going on. In Salem Church, Belfast, we had five cases of conversion on the evening of the first Sunday in February after our very promising young friend, the Rev. Thomas Carlisle, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, preached the anniversary sermon to an overflowing congregation.

On the following evening there was another case of hopeful conversion. Thus is the work proceeding. In Lisburn, Broomhedge, Priesthill, and Newtownards, it is also going on with great life and vigour. We look for a further outpouring of the Spirit-prayers ascend for it, and we believe and feel these prayers will be answered.

J. A. M.

EXTRAORDINARY MOVEMENT IN TURKEY. LONG has the dark cloud of Mohammedan delusion covered some of the fairest regions of our world. The countries once sacred to classic literature and primitive Christianity have been desecrated for ages by the corrupt dogmas of the false prophet; and it seemed as if the persecuting decrees, which for more than one thousand years had closed that land against Evangelical aggressive effort, were likely to perpetuate Mohammedan usurpation for ages to come. But God's thoughts

are

are not our thoughts, nor his ways our ways. His providence has so overruled the late war, that the sword of legal persecution is thrown away, and exclusive decrees are repealed, so that now the Bible may be freely circulated, the Christian missionary may labour without hindrance, and the enlightened Mussulman may obey his convictions and embrace Christianity without the pain of martyrdom. As the consequence of these political changes, and the diffusion of religious knowledge, the Mohammedan mind is waking up, and thousands anxiously inquiring after the truth which maketh free and bringeth salvation. Some time ago, one Selim Agha was converted to true Christianity, and he is now labouring most successfully as a preacher of the Gospel to his fellow-countrymen. In an article in the Evangelical Christendom for March, it is stated that the house of Mr. Williams (the Christian name of Selim Agha) "is beset, not only by day, but by night, by inquiring crowds. Members of the Sultan's household, his private servants, dervishes, mollahs, imauns, colonels, captains, and also the poorest men, women, and even children, are seen crowding the house. Some stay through the night as well as the day, and Williams is ready to sink under the continual effort needed to supply Gospel information to these inquiring souls. This in general. But some particulars connected with the work are so strange, that one of our correspondents tells us he is afraid to commit them to paper, lest he should be suspected of drawing upon his imagination for his facts; and, besides, some of these facts it would be imprudent to divulge as yet. From other sources we learn that the numbers of Mussulmans amongst whom a very remarkable movement is taking place are not less than twenty to thirty thousand. It seems that for some years past a spirit of inquiry, leading to curious results, had been at work irrespectively of all missionary effort. A certain Mohammedan Imaun, or priest, had

been led, by the mere study of the Koran, to take exalted views of the character of Jesus, the prophet of the Jews. He counted the number of passages in the Koran where mention was made of his name or person; and also he observed the allusion to his supernatural birth, and to the Paraclete who was to follow him. He prayed to the Almighty for illumination, and, it seems, proceeded so far as to become 'heretical' to his own faith. He founded a sect called the Brotherhood,' who, some time since, are stated to have amounted to 10,000, with 20,000 more under instruction. For this the leader was banished to Broosa, where he and some of his followers were at the time of the visit of Dr. Hamlin and Mr. Williams to that place, and of a remarkable conversation there. The report of that interview with the Turkish dignitaries in the Broosa church, and the narrative of that conversation, soon spread over Broosa; and this banished 'heretic' having heard thereof, wrote to some of his disciples at Constantinople, and desired them to go and visit Mr. Williams, and get what further light they needed from him. In consequence of this, boatsfull of delegates visit Bebek, receive instruction, and return to the Brethren,' conveying to them what they have learned. It would seem, if we compare this work with that going on in Sweden, as well as with the curious concomitants of the Irish Revivals, that there are grounds for suspecting something like a general spiritual upheaving, which takes or manifests peculiar features, according to the circumstances of localities and the amount of the truth of God to which access can be had. All these things invite us to dismiss too preconceived notions as to the doings of Him who moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform;' and to examine and watch with candour and caution all the various phenomena submitted to our notice." The present movement is doubtless of God, and is a precursor of coming changes.

TRUTH SPREADING IN ITALY.

Ir will delight our readers to know that, while the Holy Spirit is poured out on the United Kingdom, on Sweden and America, there is a gracious movement going on in Italy. The Papal throne is rocking to its fall. Evangelical truth is spreading, and religious freedom is proceeding hand-in-hand with civil liberty. Scipione Barsali, a Florentine Evangelist, writing to a Christian friend in England, says, "You have heard of the persecutions to which in past years we were subjected, stirred up very especially by priests of that Church which belongs to the Man of Sin, seconded by a Government which so little understood its duty, as to satisfy the unchristian desires of those who invoked the name of Christ, to persecute and imprison innocent men. was considered a crime to read and to meditate on the Holy Word of God, and to worship God in spirit and in truth. You have heard of these persecutions, and have mourned with

us.

It

Now let us rejoice together in the Lord, that they have ceased with the fall of the Lorraine Government in Tuscany. Now, it has pleased the Lord to give us wise and tolerant governors, who leave us free in the full exercise of our faith. They give us ample liberty to announce to our countrymen and fellow-citizens that God so loved the world that he gave his onlybegotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' My countrymen listen willingly to the good news, that the blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin. Romish superstition is melting away in Tuscany like as the fog disappears in the horizon at the appearing of the sun. The true 'Sun of Righteousness,' the true light, will shine, and dispel the darkness. Then Italy shall arise like a bride adorned for her husband, and throw off the yoke of despotism, both political and religious. This Government has given free circulation to the Bible; and in this short time thousands of copies have been