and to bring him to know where the truth was to be found. On his way to work in the morning, he avoided his former companions, that he might not have to listen to their idle and foolish talk, and that he might have opportunity to pray by the way. One day, after having lifted up his soul to the Lord, he said to himself, next Sunday I will go to hear the evangelical minister. He awaited the moment with anxiety, for he was a married man, and he feared that his wife would oppose his going. Underthese apprehensions, he throws himself on his knees, and earnestly supplicates the Lord to manifest himself to his wife, and to give her also a desire to go to hear the good news of salvation. The Lord's-day arrives. He dresses, and he says to his wife, 'I am not going to Mass to-day, my dear-I am going to the Evangelical chapel.' 'Hold,' she replied, 'it was my intention to go there myself.' Anxious that she should take this step as soon as possible, he immediately added, Well, then, you shall go. I will look after the children, and next Sunday it will be my turn to go.' His wife went accordingly, and on the Lord's-day following he went himself. The sermon he heard went right to his heart; it showed him the Lamb of God who beareth away the sins of the world. When I returned home,' said he to me, 'My conscience was as if one had taken off from it a heavy burden. I bounded with joy. Formerly I loved the pleasures of the world,' added he; but now I detest them. Formerly I would have gone four leagues to be present at a ball; but now, when I hear these instruments, to the sound of which I have so often danced, I would gladly fill them with tow. Formerly I was a miserable man; but now I am happy.'

"This man is now edifying the Church by his exemplary life. Since his conversion from Popery to Christianity, his mother insults and abuses him; but to lead her to better sentiments, he heaps coals of fire, to use the Scripture phrase, upon her head. Being charged with her maintenance, along with one of his brothers, and though only a poor workman in the coal mines, he allows her every week one loaf and fifty centimes above what he is obliged by law to allow her. At the death of his father, which took place very recently, he conducted himself in the spirit of a true missionary. He spoke to him of the Gospel, of Jesus and his grace; and he continued to do so till the last moment of his life. The curé of the parish opposed his efforts, but the weapons which he handled were mightier than those of the priest, and we love to believe, that the work which he did by his dying father was not in vain.

I

"Voila, cher frère, quelques faits. could easily mention more, but I fear they have been already published."

After the service was over, I accompanied Mons. Winand, one of the elders of the congregation, to his home, a few miles higher up the valley, where I became his guest, and experienced the kindest hospitality. Mons. Winand's family have been settled on this spot, Goffontaine-Fraipont, for the last 250 years. He was himself educated to be an advocate, and was brought up, like his fathers for many generations, in the Church of Rome. But he is now a sincere and devoted convert to Evangelical Christianity, and by his superior intelligence and influential social position, is able to render important services to the young Churches of his native land. I was much interested in his conversation, and that of his lady and sister-in-law, who are natives of Germany He assured me that there are very many men of education in Belgium, who are intellectually converted to Protestantism, though not in heart; and he mentioned in particular a distinguished advocate in Brussels, who had declared his conviction that the Evangelical Society of Belgium would yet work out the resurrection of the country.

Next morning Mons. W. conducted me to one of his mills for the grinding of dye-stuffs, all the workmen of which are converts like himself, and members of the Church at Nessonvaux. He told me they were all remarkable for their piety and exemplary life. They were in the habit, he said, of reading the Bible and singing hymns together in the mill after their meals. He had observed a marked improvement in their character and deportment as workmen and servants, since their separation from Rome. Having rejoined my travelling companions at the station of Nessonvaux, where I caught a sight of Mons. Winders, the redoubtable Romish champion of the valley, and who looked at our party with an expression as though he had not been uninformed of our proceedings on the previous evening, we proceeded on our way along the rail to Verviers, where we arrived soon after mid-day. After a stroll through the town, which is large and populous, being a flourishing seat of the woollen trade, but without any remarkable architectural features, we found our way to the house of Mons. Ledune, the pastor of the young Evangelical Church of the place, where we spent the afternoon very pleasantly. Mons. Ledune is a relative of Mons. Cornet-Auquier, and, like him, a native of Belgium, a convert from Popery, and a preacher from the Theological School of Geneva. Like him, too, he has aimed to promote the cause of truth by his pen,

as well as by the pulpit. He had recently published a letter to Mons. le Curé de Lambermont, exposing the sin and folly of the worship of an image of St. Bernard, practised in the Church of the commune where he resides, of which very effective brochure he favoured me with a copy at my request. And he has not fought the good fight of truth in vain. He has gained many successes. Walking into his little study in the course of the afternoon, my eye fell upon a large collection of crucifixes, rosaries, medals, and other superstitious objects displayed upon the wall of the chamber; and pointing to them at the same moment, he exclaimed with characteristic vivacity, “Voila! mes conquétes!" see there, my conquests! These trophies of victory had been spontaneously surrendered to him by their former possessors-souls whom he had been the happy instrument of turning from darkness to light-from the superstitions of Rome to the spiritual worship of the Gospel of truth. In the evening we had a numerous gathering of the flock, and the same services were gone through as in the Churches which I had previously visited. It was astonishing to see so many aged persons converted from Romanism, as were here sitting before me on the foremost benches of the hall of worship. How powerful the Word of God which could bring out of the very thickest gloom of superstition these venerable men and women already grown grey in the Romish worship! Great age is prone to superstition and averse to change; but here, instead of the silly anilities in which one might have expected to find these hoary-headed worshippers plunged, we find them renouncing their idols and lying legends, and worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth.

The following are extracts from the Report of Mons. Ledune to the Committee for the last year :

"The work continues to go forward prosperously. The Christian people are confirmed in the truth, and the congregation increases. Our hall is always full. We have recently bought four new benches, and yet we have always hearers who cannot get sitting

room.

At our Wednesday evening meetings there is always a crowd, and it is truly interesting to see the workmen leaving their factories, after a long day's labour, to come to the preaching of the Gospel, before returning home. The sustained attention which reigns in the auditory bears testimony to the interest which they feel in the doctrines of grace announced to them.

"This year, at Easter, we admitted four new communicants to the Lord's Supper. You know our manner of proceeding in that respect. We receive to the Supper

none but such as have given proof of the sincerity of their conversion. If one only looks at the smallness of our numbers, he may say,-it is a small affair, a flock of 225 souls out of a population of 25,000. Yes; and so too say we. But if we remember that these are all souls which have been snatched from Rome, whose fanatical devotees they at one time were, we shall be prepared to say that the number is a large one. And we shall congratulate ourselves still more if we take account of the difficulties of all sorts with which we have had to contend.

"The Gospel sends its beams into the surrounding neighbourhood also. Lately a brother engaged me to pay a visit to two aged persons, who lived in a village a league and a-half distant from Verviers. I went. I found these worthy persons living in a very decent dwelling; the husband an old man of fourscore, his wife seventyfive years of age. Neither the one nor the other had ever been at a Protestant meeting; but for three years back they had abandoned the Church of Rome. I spoke to them of the Gospel, which they listened to with the utmost attention and reverence. Never shall I forget the expression of joy and happiness which I read on their wrinkled faces. When I had finished, the good old man pressed my hands within his own withered fingers, and, with tears in his eyes, exclaimed, 'How happy I am to see you! You have done good to my soul.' I asked him a few questions to make sure that he had understood me correctly. His answers astonished me. I found in him a man who spoke of salvation by grace like a true Christian who has had experience of its effects. He refuted the errors of Rome with a simplicity and a force quite remarkable. I asked him if he was not afraid to die.

Oh, Sir,' he replied, 'I would have feared exceedingly to die, if Jesus Christ had not died for me; but his death has given me life, and I fear death no more.' His wife is as happy a Christian as himself. The reading of the New Testament and the visits of a member of our Church have taught these friends the knowledge of the one thing needful. How true the words, The Spirit bloweth where he listeth!' Í returned home with a heart full of joy, and blessing God for having given me the happiness of being edified by two of his children whom I had never known before.

The only thing to be regretted,' said I to myself, is that these poor friends cannot attend the house of God.' But where there's a will there's a way. A fortnight after my visit, the old woman was present at our morning worship. In spite of her five-and-seventy years, and although very

infirm, she had come a league and a-half through a beating rain. After service I went up to her, and shaking her by the hand, remarked, 'You must be very much fatigued with your journey.' 'God alone,' she replied, could have enabled me to come so far, for I did not believe it possible I could have travelled such a long road.' What a lesson to those to whom God has given health and strength, but who forsake the sacred assemblies."

The last of this short series of visits was made on the following day to the Church of Liege, which may be considered as the MotherChurch of all the young Evangelical congregations of the province, as it was chiefly Mons. Girod's labours and influence radiating from that centre which gave birth to them all. This distinguished minister of Christ was removed to his eternal rest and reward in the summer of 1850, and his bereaved Church is now under the pastoral care of a young minister from Switzerland-a pupil of D'Aubigné and Gaussen, like so many others of the Belgian pastors - Mons. Auberjonois. I found it in a flourish ing condition, but my visit was a very hurried one, and I don't recollect that anything struck me as calling for particular remark. I have since been favoured with a lengthened and interesting letter from Mons. Auberjonois in relation to his position and work, and though I must now bring these papers to a close, I intend, by and by, to send atranslation of this letter to the "Messenger," accompanied with a few introductory notices of the history of Protestantism in Liege.

MADAGASCAR.

WE extract the following from a most interesting document just issued by the Directors of the London Missionary Society:

:

'Among the earliest enterprises contemplated by the Directors of the London Missionary Society, the introduction of the Gospel into the Island of Madagascar was one of the most important and most promising. The population of the country, exceeding four millions, the debasing and cruel character of the prevalent idolatry,the degradation and social wretchedness of vast masses of the people,—all combined to present the most urgent claims for the exercise of Christian zeal and mercy.

"It was not, however, until the year 1817, that any attempt to send missionaries to that dark land appeared practicable; but, at that time, providential events of recent occurrence afforded them encouragement, in dependence upon God, to enter upon this new and extensive field of labour. "In the month of March, 1819, Messrs. Bevan and Jones, agents of the Society, landed in Madagascar, with a view to permanent labour; but, within a few weeks,

the former of these devoted men, and his wife and child, were removed by death; the wife and child of his associate also died; while the solitary survivor was so utterly prostrated by disease, as to be com‐ pelled for a season to return to Mauritius.

"But undismayed by these calamities, Mr. Jones, who had, in the meantime, been joined by Mr. Griffiths, proceeded, in the autumn of the following year, to the Island, and through the kind office of the British resident, they were permitted to settle at Tananarivo, the capital, with the entire approval of Radama the King.

"The favourable regard of the King was, doubtless, to a considerable degree, secured by the beneficia, arts and customs which the missionaries, in subordination to the higher objects of their office, introduced and commended to his subjects; but eventually multitudes of the people understood and appreciated their ministry, and sought from them instruction in the great truths of salvation. Large congregations were formed, many schools were established, and everything connected with the new mission seemed auspicious and promising.

Encouraged by such intimations of Divine Providence, the Directors made vigorous efforts to extend their labours in Madagascar; and, from the year 1818 to 1828, they sent thither fourteen labourers, consisting of six ordained missionaries, two missionary printers, and six missionary artisans.

"At the expiration of eight years from the establishment of the mission, Radama, who had proved its active and faithful friend, died; he was succeeded by the present Queen, whose reign of cruelty and terror needs no description. From the commencement of her authority she was wholly under the influence of the advocates of idolatry; but her hostility against the religion of Christ was restrained or disclosed, as policy required, until, in the month of March, 1835, the fatal edict was issued, by which the people were forbidden, under pain of death, to profess Christianity; and the missionaries were soon after compelled to leave the island.

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"But, during the fifteen years of their residence in Madagascar, the missionaries had laboured with unwearied diligence, zeal, and self-denial; and the results of these labours must excite astonishment and command admiration. The number of schools they established amounted to nearly 100, containing 4,000 scholars; and more than 10,000 children passed through these schools during the period under review, to whom were imparted the elements both of useful instruction and religious truth. Elementary books were provided for the pupils; and a large proportion of these were distributed among those who volun