lected for on the district, from the 'London Hospital Mission,' as for some weeks past the payment for these has increased the 'Bible account' very much. "Before Mrs. S― entered the Mission, she worked at the 'envelope-folding' in C street, where a hundred people are employed, and where one of her sisters works still. From time to time the young women make inquiries of her sister about her. One day they asked what work she had to do, and among other things her sister said she had to sell Bibles. One of them answered,

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"I wish she would sell me one; you could take the money every week until I have paid for it.' And so it was agreed. But when she reached home and told her sister about it, she declined the subscription, saying she was only allowed to sell Bibles on her district. They agreed to wait until the Pioneer's visiting day and hear what she thought about it. She felt that it was an opportunity that might never occur again, and that it would not be trespassing on any fellow-worker's ground. When her sister told them they could have Bibles, thirty-four of the young women formed a Bible Club, sending their pence each week, and having their Bibles each Monday as they paid for them.

"Six of them have never had a Bible before. One said she could not remember ever seeing a Bible at home; it has been quite an event among them. Meanwhile we are praying for a blessing and waiting for fruits, for Mrs. S- is an earnest, prayerful woman, and I well know that she has prayed over each one as she sent it."

"DEAR MADAM,

THE MITES OF SYMPATHY.

"At the Mothers' Meeting to-day all our hearts have been touched by a tale of sorrow. Mrs. S, the Bible-woman, was one day lately distributing tracts; the door was opened by a woman who said, 'I do not like to ask you to come in, perhaps you would not like to do so, but I have two daughters ill with a fever' (gastric). Certainly I shall come in,' was the prompt

answer.

She spoke to them of their souls' welfare, urged them to seek the Saviour, &c., was the more earnest to the younger one, a lovely girl of 16; her sister was 20. The next time she called the younger one was better somewhat, and Mrs. S-thought it likely she would recover, and directed her conversation to the elder, asking her if it should be God's will that she should not recover, did she feel that she was saved?' 'No.' Then of course she spoke faithfully to her.

"One of them would go to the Infirmary in the House. The one remaining at home died, and was buried on Good Friday; the other died the same day. The father went to the funeral on Good Friday, took cold, and, I believe, died the same day the last mentioned daughter was buried. However, he had to be buried to-day. The poor sorrowing mother and widow is left in poverty, with five children all under 12 years of age.

"It was touching to-day, to see how promptly our poor mothers (we have only one who is really in comfortable circumstances) collected amongst themselves 3s. 2d. to send to the widow, several could only give d. and one gave two farthings."-" M. M."

THE BIBLE ONLY IN MOTHERS' MEETINGS.
(FROM A SUPERINTENDENT.)

MY DEAR MRS. R.

"Our Mission has never been so flourishing as at present; and I must add my testimony to the power the Scriptures have in attracting the women, far more than the most interesting tales. I give tracts at the Meeting for them to read to themselves at home.

"We have now a large gathering. Yesterday we had thirtytwo women, and when I read tales our number was never more than fifteen. You know how faithless I was at first, and how I feared I should not be able to read and speak from the Bible only. That fear is all gone now.

"Yours very truly,

"L. F."

MAY, 1872.

UNITED PRAYER MEETINGS

IN REFERENCE TO THE

PRESENT CONDITION OF CHRISTIAN NATIONS,

AND TO THE CONDITION BOTH OF ISRAEL AND OF THE HEATHEN WORLD, WILL BE HELD, IN LONDON,

AT

On Sunday Afternoon, May 19th, at 3 o'clock,

THE HANOVER SQUARE ROOMS,

SUGGESTIONS FOR CARRYING OUT THE ABOVE.

1. That the week beginning Sunday, the 19th May, and ending the 25th, should be set apart for special prayer by Christians throughout the world for the above objects.

2. That not only, where practicable, public meetings for prayer should be held, but that everywhere private and social prayers should specially be offered up.

3. That the subject of INTERCESSORY PRAYER should form a prominent topic in the sermons preached and addresses given on Sunday, the 19th May.

ON THE PROPOSAL FOR WORLD-WIDE UNION IN PRAYER IN

MAY, 1872.

An advertisement of this proposed union was attached last month to the "MISSING LINK," and to almost all other religious periodicals; and it is, no doubt, now well and widely known that the projected Meetings are similar to those held in December, 1869, at the same time with the Ecumenical

Council in Rome.

Among the encouragements to which attention is called as showing a rapid change in the nations under the influence of Rome, it is remarked that of the five Powers which coalesced to restore the present Pope after his expulsion from Rome in 1848,

namely, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the King of Naples, the Queen of Spain, the Emperor of Austria, and Louis Napoleon, four have fallen, and the other (Austria) has been driven out of Italy, and into doubtful relations with the Papacy.

The ECUMENICAL COUNCIL itself has led to division of sentiment among the adherents of Rome. In Spain an opening for the spread of Scriptural Christianity has been suddenly given, and already attended with highly encouraging spiritual results. In Italy the last barriers to religious freedom have vanished; and in the city of Rome-closed against the Bible in 1869-evangelists are now freely labouring, surrounded by numerous congregations. In Germany a serious revolt against the Papacy already shows important results, and gives promise of others more decisive. In Mexico religious freedom has been established, and a considerable number of Protestant congregations are formed, and prospects opening which our brethren in America hail with joy.

The comment of Dr. MERLE D'AUBIGNE (the historian of the Reformation) upon these events is as follows:

"Our prayers have been heard and answered. Our principal petition at the time of the Council at the Vatican was that the Bible might find its way into Rome. God threw down the walls that shut it out; and the Holy Scriptures are now in the streets of Rome, and are even preached and explained in different parts of the city.

"More than this, one of the great events of history is accomplished. An ecclesiastical power had established itself upon the Seven Hills, desiring to wage war against the servants of Christ. The kings of the earth, such as Philip II. of Spain and Louis XIV. of France, gave it their strength, and shed the blood of the saints with their sword. Suddenly a marvel occurred, which we have seen with our eyes. The King of one of those friendly nations, the Sovereign of Italy, despoils this Power; and all the other Princes, even those which had formerly been the most devoted to it-France, Spain, Holland, Austria-forsook it. Not a hand was raised to help. It was despoiled, deprived of its palaces, of its towns, of its state, of its revenues, of its crown. It is now desolate and naked. It has

reaped the reward of the iniquities it practised during hundreds of years; and this has all occurred in the reign of one of the most moral of its rulers.

"He who has done such things can do yet greater. Let us not fear to ask Him for more; let us ask Him in His infinite mercy to restore to all Christendom-Greek, Roman, Protestant (for we all need it)-liberty, truth, and love, that all may be one fold under one Shepherd.

"May the Divine Head of the Church be Himself in the midst of our meetings! May He enable us by His Holy Spirit to pray to Him as His redeemed-as His friends, confiding in His promise- If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it!'"'

Dr. Duff (late of India) has specially requested that the accompanying additions may be made to the requests for prayer, under the heading of PRAYER FOR MISSION FIELDS :

"That special supplications be now made for the speedy and complete overthrow of all the mighty systems of Antichristian error, such as Mahommedanism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, with every form of Pagan idolatry and superstition; and that ISRAEL may receive Jesus Christ as their Messiah."

THE FOLLOWING HEADS FOR UNITED PRAYER HAVE BEEN

PROPOSED :

I. THANKSGIVING, for the entrance of the Bible into Rome, for the signs manifested in Germany of the entrance of the Word, giving light in connexion with the Old Catholic movement, and also for similar signs in France, Spain, and elsewhere.

Prayer for a large effusion of the Holy Spirit in Rome, in the whole of Italy and Spain, in France, Belgium, Germany, Holland, and Switzerland, in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, so that multitudes of true believers may be added to the living Church of Christ. Special prayer for those members of Roman Catholic Churches, whose minds are now exercised about the pretensions of the Papacy, that they may have faith and courage to come out and be built as living stones on that