The number of French brethren employed in this department is fourteen; six ordained ministers and eight evangelists, including students and a professor of French, who is also a student. The following is a view of the operations of the last year:

J. B. Crétin's field, Oise,.....

Places to be visited.

Members.

2

V. Lepoid's

I. Foulon's

do., Aisne,.

do., do.,

16

80

13

33

16

26

L. Lefèvre's do., do.,

10

37

13

7

J. Thieffry's do., Nord,.

5

Douai,

66

8

"Seventy-two candidates for the ordinance," says Mr. Willard," is no great thing compared with what others have been permitted to gather in. Br. Öncken cultivates a favored portion of the missionary patrimony; many others also are much before us, and I am glad. God grant to every one of our dear brethren an hundred fold more May abundantly than hitherto. He will in due time bless this land also. Be not discouraged. The salvation of fifty souls is no small thing in itself, and then, you are doing and must for a long time yet do a preparatory work in France. There is no way, apparently, to force things here more than elsewhere. difficult work; but it is now begun and it is not the will of our Brethren, this is a strangely Heavenly Father that it should ever be arrested. Pray more earnestly, give a little more liberally, do what you can for this enterprise. Yet a few years, and I trust that none of you will blush to speak of your mission in France."

gave

Mr. Parker also writes as follows: "The scenes which I witnessed me a deep impression of the importance of the French Mission. The men who are laboring there have a strong hold upon the minds of a great multitude of people. The peasantry have confidence in them; and just so soon as they gain knowledge enough to see that there is a way of salvation out of the papal church, and know what the way is, multitudes will embrace the Saviour. The field is white and waiting for the reaper's hand. The Lord is there, preparing the hearts of the people to hear and believe the truth.

"The stream of evangelical influence that has flowed on, almost unnoticed and so quiet, is deep and broad. The last two years are showing the fruits of previous labor. There is much more done in the departments of Aisne and Oise, by the agency which we employ and sustain, than is accomplished in any other department of France by any other society whose reports have awakened so much surprise and interest in this country.

The cholera has made fearful ravages in France during the year, but not an individual connected with the mission, and but few members of the churches, were taken away by it.

us.

SOUTH EASTERN DEPARTMENT.-In pursuance of the plan to establish a centre of missionary operations in the south of France, Dr. Devan undertook a tour of exploration, from which he returned in June last to Paris. The cities and larger places which he visited, were St. Etienne, Feurs, Montbrison, Lyons, Vienne, Valence, Montélimart, Ardèche, Avignon, Marseilles, Montpellier and Nismes. The region is mostly one of great spiritual destitution. Few persons of experimental piety are found in it, and previous to the visit of the colporteur sent out previously by Dr. Devan, none were known maintaining like views with But by Him who comprehends the necessities of his own cause, a co-laborer was raised up in the first of these cities, an earnest, we hope, as well as an element, of future good. At St. Etienne in this district, is a congregation of some 1,000 or 1,200 Germans, to whom Mr. Geyer was accustomed to preach once every Lord's day. Mr. Geyer is a German by birth, but speaks French fluently. He is ardent, pious and eloquent, an acceptable preacher, and much beloved by the people. He was ordained nearly two years since at Lyons, and was a laborer of the Evangelical Society of Geneva. Through the colporteur above alluded to, Dr. Devan had been brought into correspondence with this minister during the winter; and the termination of the correspondence was a request on his part for baptism. He had already signified his entire assent to the doctrines of the American Baptist churches. On the arrival of Dr. D. at St. Etienne, at his request Mr. Geyer invited all who harmonized with him in their sentiments on baptism, to meet him. There were five others, all men. They had unanimously adopted the above confession of faith and desired baptism. Accordingly, on the morning of April 17, 1849, Dr. Devan buried in baptism Mr. Charles Geyer, and then led to him in succession the five others, whom he baptized. On the evening of the following day they were organized into a church, and elected Mr. Geyer their pastor.

Mr. Geyer was immediately employed by Dr. D. as a native laborer. His field is St. Etienne; to visit Feurs, once a week, and, if possible, Montbrison. He will be aided by Alexandre Berthond, one of the baptized, a colporteur-evangelist, a man capable of conducting a religious meeting with acceptance. At Feurs, Salomon Milliaud, another of the baptized, equally or more capable than the former, will reside and colport in the vicinity as he may be able. He is a converted Jew, thirty-three years of age. In May last four others were baptized at St. Etienne, and two at Feurs.

In the other cities named in the itinerary, Dr. D. reports only the spiritual destitution of the people.

In October last one of the colporteurs reported a promising state of things in his field of labor. Several individuals and some families seem to be opening their eyes to the truth, and anxiously desire the Scriptures and religious instruction.

In a letter dated March 2, Dr. D. expresses feelings of encouragement in regard to his field of labor. In a quarter of the city of St. Etienne inhabited by the poorer class of workmen, a meeting has

been commenced by the mission at the request of the people themselves. This meeting has been attended by sixty or seventy persons, two thirds of them men. Desirous of better accommodation they proposed a subscription among themselves, on the principle of a weekly contribution, which was soon made up to sixty-eight francs a year; their rent is only sixty francs. The people at St. Etienne are in like manner disposed to aid themselves, and will probably nearly pay the rent of their hall for worship. The principle of self-support is earnestly urged upon all. The church now consists of seventeen members. The congregation is increasing. One of the laborers says: "I see amidst all the darkness that surrounds us, that the Lord has a great people at St. Etienne. Let us press into the ranks, pray the Lord for his blessing, and labor in his name."

Dr. Devan having been appointed to take charge of the missionary operations so happily commenced in south eastern France, will remove to Lyons, and from this point pursue his labors as the providence of God may direct.

MISSION TO GERMANY.

HAMBURG.-Rev. Messrs. J. G. ONCKEN, J. Köbner, C. SCHAUFFLER, Jr.

34 stations; 3 missionaries and 28 other native preachers and assistants; besides several colporteurs, &c.

The net addition to the number of native preachers and colporteurs is thirteen.

The tidings received from this mission since our last annual report, have been of the most cheering character. The political revolution in Prussia had a most important influence on the cause of religion. Its first effect was to secure the perfect equality of all religious sects. Not knowing how long this freedom would last, our brethren made the best use of the golden opportunity. Mr. Oncken wrote in May, 1849: "We have raised the standard of the cross in every direction, and in the midst of the enemies of the Lord and his anointed. In the capital of Austria, in Hungary, among the Catholics of the Silesian mountains, and in numberless places of Germany, the glad tidings of salvation have reached the ears of hundreds of thousands who never before had the truth presented to their minds in its simplicity and beauty. Fifty brethren have been engaged in this holy crusade against sin and Satan. 800,000 tracts and 20,000 copies of the Holy Scriptures have been put in circulation within the last sixteen months. Wherever we have gone the Lord has gone with us, and the word has been confirmed with signs and wonders following." And again, under date of Dec. 14: "About forty missionaries and colporteurs, nearly half a million of tracts and other publications, and 22,000 copies of the Holy Scriptures, have during the year now drawing to a close disclosed the untold tale of Christ's love to sinners, among the millions in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Holland and Switzerland."

The church at Hamburg numbered at the close of the year 456 members; 112 converts were added to it during the year, and others at its close were waiting for baptism. Many from this church go out as occasional colporteurs. From twenty to thirty often spend the Sabbath in neighboring cities and villages, where they gather Sabbath schools, conduct religious services, and engage in personal coversation with individuals. Ten preaching places are thus supplied. By these labors many have become Christians, who have united with the Hamburg church. Mr. Schauffler has been appointed one of its three pastors, to relieve Mr. Oncken, whose multiplied labors† are wearing upon his health and endangering his life.

Connected with these are sixty or more places for stated preaching.

The nature and multiplicity of Mr. Oncken's labors are partly indicated in his letter of February last. "Three months of my time during the last summer were fully occupied in visiting our stations in Bremen, in the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, in East Friesland, Mecklenburg, Holstein, Schleswig, Prussia, Hanover, Hesse, at Frankfort on the Maine, &c. My principal objects in these tours were to set all things in order in the churches, where this was required,-to form new churches, to see that suitable pastors and deacons were chosen by the churches, to form Sabbath schools, and to stir the churches up to greater and more united efforts for the spread of the gospel. These objects have to a good extent been realized, and the most happy results have been already witnessed in the spread of the truth and in the conversion of many sinners to God. I had also many opportunities of preaching the gospel to large assemblies, especially in large towns, where I hired generally a large saloon, of which public notice was given in the newspapers. At Marburg, a number of the students of the Hessian University in that place attended our services. And at Bremen, Varel, (my native place,) and Cassel, a large number of state-church believers, and others who never heard the gospel before, were present."