that we know the Great Master can, and does, find instruments to carry out His designs of mercy. She has entered into rest, and her work of love will follow her.

We are glad to find that the right of the laity to be heard in Church matters is being admitted, not only in the disestablished Church of Ireland, but also in the Established Church of England and the Episcopalian Church of Scotland.

A correspondent of the Times has given a fearful picture of the sufferings of prisoners in Naples. Some with typhus fever lie in a place so confined that by lifting the arm the ceiling can be touched. An instrument like an open coffin, with thongs at the sides, suggests the idea of torture, and it is said to be in constant use; but the prisoners of the United States are reported to be in a still worse condition. Amongst the instruments of punishment are-the "shower bath," which by its continuous shower almost drowns the poor creature into submission; the "crucifix," a bar of flat iron, from thirty-four to fifty pounds weight, fastened to the neck and wrists by rings which can be screwed to any degree of tightness; the "buck" punishment is accomplished by suspending the prisoner on a stick resting on two chair backs by a cord, fastening the hands and feet together in the way that the hunter would carry home the deer he had slain. It is fearful to think that such atrocities can be perpetrated in the midst of the socalled refinement of the nineteenth century.

The Christian World says:-It is to a body of London workmen that we are indebted for the germs of a movement which may ultimately prove a powerful rival to the Sunday bands, and also assist largely in neutralizing their pernicious influence. During the past summer might have been heard the strains of a band of singers floating through the leafy trees in Victoria Park; but the words were not those of popular songs or flashy nigger melodies, they generally belonged to some of the

most beautiful and touching hymns possessed by us. "It is not excitement which the working man requires on Sunday, but rest, both of body and spirit.

"This, at least, is the real argument of the silk weavers and others forming the Victoria Park Band for Vocal Sacred Music;" and as "they have received official permission to continue their singing on Sunday afternoons in the parks," we trust that, by availing themselves of the winter months for rehearsals, they may prove themselves more formidable rivals than they have hitherto been.

A brigand at Civita Vecchia having escaped from prison, was retaken by the police, when he positively stated that he did not himself break out of prison, but that the Madonna, compassionating his sufferings, sent an angel to effect his release. What a covert satire is here! surely the immaculate Virgin, if she has the power, might have found some more worthy recipient of her sympathy and aid than a recognised robber.

;

The Evelina Hospital for sick children, situate in the Southwark Bridge Road, has been doing good service in the cause of humanity since its opening in June last from eighty to ninety out-patients per day have been attended to, and though only thirty out of the hundred beds have yet been filled up, between seventy and eighty patients have passed through the institution. The building has been erected at the sole expense of a Jewish nobleman, and contains a Jewish ward, with a scroll of the law on the lintel to sanctify it; a Jewish cook, with a separate kitchen for her use, is attached to the institution.

A correspondent of the Pall Mall Gazette, writing from St. Petersburg, says:-"The Jews have at length, after much negotiation with the Government, obtained permission to erect a synagogue. This will be the first building of the kind that has ever existed in Russia."

mitted into union. £9 library granted to Rodney Road Wesleyan. Average attendance at the Children's Special Service, Flint Street, 140.

BERMONDSEY.-£4 library granted to Albion Street Wesleyan Sunday School. The United Communion service was held recently in Jamaica Row Chapel, Rev. J. Farren presided. Addresses delivered by Rev. J. A. Brown, T. Newton, and L. Waterhouse. The Rev. J. Sinclair, J. W. Munns, and G. M'All took part in the devotional exercises.

The second of a series of lectures for Elder Scholars was delivered in Drummond Road Chapel, in November, by Mr. W. H. Groser, on "The Hand," which was illustrated by some large and beautiful diagrams. Rev. J. A. Brown presided. About 350 scholars present.

NORTH-EAST.-Victoria Park Congregational Tabernacle Sunday School, Forest Road, Dalston, Baptist, and St. Thomas Square, Hackney, Congregational, admitted into union. £9 library granted to Orchard Street.

CLAPHAM. Brixton Hill Wesleyan Sunday School admitted into union. Libraries granted: - £6 each, to Trinity Chapel, Brixton, Battersea Congregational, and Wandsworth Baptist. Meeting of Senior Scholars has been held; various interesting objects exhibited. An interesting lecture by Dr. Ridge on "Bones."

UNIONS.

the country schools the morning attendance was considerably above the average, being, in this respect, superior to the town. Short `addresses were delivered in all the schools, and counsel given as opportunity offered. In the evening an address was delivered to the teachers, the services being arranged so as to allow them to assemble in one of the chapels at the conclusion of their service. On Monday evening a public meet

ing was held in the schoolroom of the Independent Chapel, presided over by the Rev. John Clarke, three other ministers being present and speaking on the occasion. Mr. J. S. Caldwell, the deputation, also addressed the meeting. The attendance was not large, but the interest was considerable, and the visit as a whole very satisfactory to the deputation, and, it is hoped, not without profit to the Sunday school teachers of Chesterfield.

EXETER.-Mr. Brain visited this union on Saturday, 27th Nov., when he gave a dioramic lecture to the teachers and scholars connected with the various schools. The lecture was given in the Temperance Hall, Friars, which was crowded to excess. On Sunday Mr. Brain, accompanied by the Exeter secretary, paid an inspecting visit to all the schools, and in the evening a gathering of the teachers for prayer was held in the Providence Chapel, and an address was delivered by Mr. Brain. On the Monday a tea meeting was held in the Free Methodist Chapel, Queen Street, and, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, was well attended. After tea, a conference of the teachers and friends of the Sunday schools was held in the same room. The chair was taken by John Wilson, Esq., the president of the Exeter branch. Several interesting speeches were made, and a vote of thanks to the deputation concluded the meeting.

HASLINGDEN.-The thirteenth annual meeting of the Haslingden Sunday School Union was held on Saturday, November 13th, in the Independent School, Deardengate. The friends representing the several schools of the union assembled for tea, after which a public meeting was held. The Rev. A. H. Barfield occupied the chair, and conducted the devotional exercises of the evening. The Rev. P. Prout read the report for the year. The five schools of the union gave a return of 197 teachers and 1,400 scholars, making a total of 1,598, which was an increase over the pre

vious year of 15 teachers and 33 scholars, being a total increase of 48. This number, however, was felt not to express a decided increase in the schools viewed in relation to the increase of population. Twenty had been added to the church from the schools during the year. Mr. T. Holden gave the financial statement. Addresses were delivered by Mr. T. Brain, deputation from the Parent Union, and by the Revs. W. Hudson and B. B. Davis, and Messrs. J. Lambert, J. Kay, and T. Walton. On Lord's day Mr. Brain visited the schools of the union, and gave a brief address to the teachers and scholars at each school. At the close of the evening service a united prayer meeting was held, and many fervent prayers were presented to God for His blessing upon the labours of the teachers and the ministrations of the pulpit.

The annual sermon of the union was preached in Pleasant Street Chapel, on the afternoon of Lord's day, November 21st, by the Rev. P. Prout, from 2 Cor. iv. 7, "That the excellency of the power may be of God."

PLYMOUTH.-The annual tea and meeting of this union was held November 17th. The tea, which was attended by about 150, was held in the Presbyterian Sunday Schoolroom; and the meeting, which was largely attended, in the new Presbyterian Church. Mr. A. Hubbard presided. Mr. S. N. Holmden, the secretary, read the report, from which it appeared that there was a cheering increase in the number of teachers, both in the town and country schools, and of scholars in the town schools. In the town schools this year there are 414 teachers, against 396 last year, and in the country schools 79, against 74 last year, showing a total increase of 29 labourers in the branch. In the town schools the number of scholars on the books was 4,270, as against 3,800 last year, showing an increase of 470; while on the side of the country schools, they regretted to record a diminution of 23, the number this year being 642, as B 4

compared with 665 last year. The number of scholars who had joined themselves in membership with Christian churches was 28. Since their last meeting the Presbyterian Sunday school, capable of containing 700 scholars, and having at present an attendance of 450, had been completed and opened. Reference was made to the passing of the Sunday and Ragged School Rating Exemption Bill, the success of which had been mainly brought about by public support;-a petition in its favour, containing 1,000 signatures, had been presented by Sir R. Collier from that branch. The meeting was addressed by the chairman, the Revs. John Aldis, and Joseph Wood, also by Messrs. Serpell, Tucker, Rooker, Morrish, Ede, and Doidge.

RICHMOND UNION, MIDDLESEX.-On 23rd November, after a social tea meeting at Kingston-on-Thames, a practice lesson to a Scripture class was given by Mr. Brain; the attendance was large and the discussion animated.

ROCHDALE.-The annual meeting of this union, with which is connected most of the schools in the district, was held in Baillie Street Chapel, on Monday evening, November 14th. Tea had been previously served to about 1,630 persons in the schoolroom, and the meeting, which was very largely attended, commenced shortly after seven o'clock. Alderman G. L. Ashworth, a Sunday school teacher of thirty years' standing, occupied the chair. From the report, which was read by the secretary, Mr. Pollitt, it appeared that there are connected with the union, 52 schools, containing 1,951 teachers and 13,283 scholars. Of the former 1,401 are church members, and of the latter, 1,134. The number of scholars added to the church during the past year was 181. The average attendance at school on Sunday mornings was 6,601, and in the afternoon, 8,859. The report also set forth that the visitation of the various schools had been well carried out during the past year, and referred in a congratu

latory tone to the passing of Mr. Charles Reed's bill, which had for its object the exemption of Sunday Schools from local rates. The committee, in seeking a cause why the average attendance of scholars at the various schools was comparatively low on a Sunday morning, attributed it to the weariness induced by indulgence in recreation on a Saturday afternoon.

Mr. Brain, who attended as the deputation from the Parent Committee, read a paper on Secular Education in Relation to Sunday School Work," in introducing which he alluded to the superiority of the foreign goods exhibited at the Paris Exhibition of 1867, as compared with English productions, and to the subsequent inquiry as to the cause of this inferiority, which resulted in the conclusion that the English workman, in comparison with his foreign competitor, required technical education. Having pointed out how this led to the consideration of the subject of education generally, Mr. Brain referred to the prevailing opinion that secular and universal education should become more general, if not enforced. He thought legislation would soon take place on the matter. Having touched upon the meetings which had been held at Manchester and Birmingham, he reminded them of some remarks on the subject recently made by Mr. Forster, to the effect that he looked forward to the time when the enormous masses of the population should be in receipt of elementary education, that facilities should be placed within the reach of any clever boy to pursue his studies in a secondary school, and after that, if he still showed himself apt, he might be enabled to resort to the universities. In his concluding observations, Mr. Brain remarked upon the improved methods of teaching adopted in the present day, and spoke in favour of Sunday school teachers carrying on the spiritual education of the children, whilst their secular instruction was left in the hands of the schoolmaster. He referred at some length to the great aid which secular knowledge would prove in preparing the