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God might dwell among them." The promise of the Spirit was given to the apostles, and they were instructed to wait at Jerusalem, till they should be endued with power from on high. And how did they wait? It was with one accord, in prayer and supplication. Thus they waited till the day of Pentecost was fully come, and then the Holy Ghost descended and abode with them. With its power they preached, and by its power thousands of souls were convinced of sin and converted to Christ, and the saved of the Lord were added daily to the Church.

The same mighty blessing, the presence and power of the Holy Ghost, is the privilege of the Church whenever it seeks it, and looks and waits for it in the same way. God will be inquired of. He will be honoured by the confession of our dependence upon Him, and the expression of our faith in Him. And the facts which appear in the history of the Church, demonstrating the efficacy of prayer, should prompt and encourage its members to look to Heaven for the reviving influence of the Spirit of God. The increase and spread of pure religion has always been associated with earnest believing prayer. The grace of supplication has been largely possessed by the Church. And now let this grace be cherished and exercised in a high degree, and soon would the children of Zion take their harps from the willows, and their mourning would give place to praise. Many are the instances on record in which prayer has availed in behalf of the Church, and all who take an interest in the cause of Christ will, no doubt, be acquainted with some of them. The following instances occurred within the observation of the writer of this. A church in one of our circuits had long been stationary, and its members were very few. There was not a young man connected with it, and some expressed the opinion that it would gradually become extinct. The thought of its low condition weighed heavily upon the mind of one of its class-leaders, and he set himself earnestly to make its revival a matter of supplication at the throne of grace.

He prayed especially for the conversion of three young men who were connected with the Sabbath school; and after some weeks he had the joy of seeing the same three young men come together, and unsolicited to his class-meeting; they presented themselves as anxious seekers of salvation. They came again the next week, when they all entered into the liberty of God's children. From that time for months not a week passed without witnessing the conversion of sinners, though no extra agency in the way of preaching was called in; the church increased to four times its former number, more accommodation had to be provided for the increased congregation, and a new and commodious room was built for the school, and after many years the gracious fruit remains.

In another of our churches there had been for some time great spiritual depression, feebleness, and bad feeling. One of its oldest members, who had thought much about its condition, went one day to his minister and said, "It has been strongly impressed upon my mind that God is about to do something for our church, and I come to request you to call a society meeting, and ask the members to make it a matter of special and daily prayer, that God would visit and revive us." meeting was called. Prayers were offered, and in a few weeks the Divine power was manifested in the conversion of souls to God. The church was quickened to holy and earnest action, a large increase was made to its number of members, the congregation was greatly and permanently augmented, and the blessing of God still gives it prosperity.

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With many such instances within the actual experience of the Church, should it not be prompted to pray and to persevere in prayer? Should it not set the foot of faith on the neck of all the difficulties which the cavillings of human reason may place in the path of prayer? Should it not grapple with the spirit of indolence, and with the strong purpose of wrestling Jacob's cry, "I will not let thee go except thou bless me?" Should it not demand from worldly

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WONDERFUL PROGRESS OF METHODISM IN AMERICA. DR. STEVENS, the eloquent historian of Methodism, has supplied the statistics of Methodism at this periodjust one hundred years since the cause was planted in America by the labours of a humble local preacher. The history of Methodism in England is marvellous, but far more so in America. It is younger than English Methodism by about twenty-eight years; it was never favoured with the influence of Mr. Wesley's presence; it rose simultaneously from its inherent vitality, from the preaching of Philip Embury to a congregation of five persons in his own house; it was diffused amongst a thinlyscattered population; it grew amidst log-built cabins and new settlements, as well as older cities; yet, so rapid and extensive has been its growth, that it has spread over the vast continent of North America as widely as human habitations, and counts up its numbers this day at EIGHT MILLION ADHERENTS, having outstripped the parent body by several millions of people. We give the statistics in the words of Dr. Stevens, and the opinion of competent judges is, that his figures may be relied upon as below and not above the actual facts; and they cannot but be read with amazement and overpowering gratitude by all who feel interested in the spread of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God.

"Embury's little congregation of five persons, in his own house, has multiplied to thousands of societies, from the northernmost settlements of Canada to the Gulf of Mexico; from Nova Scotia to California. The first small Conference of 1773, with its 10 preachers, and its 1,160 reported

members, has multiplied to 60 Conferences, 6,821 itinerants, 8,205 lɔcal preachers, and 928,320 members in the Methodist Episcopal Church alone, exclusive of the Southern, the Canadian, and minor branches, all the offspring of the church founded in 1766, and episcopally organized in 1784.

"It has property, in churches and parsonages, amounting to about 27,000,000 dols.

"It has 25 colleges and theological schools, with property amounting to 3,055,000 dols.; 158 instructors, 5,345 students; and 77 academies, with 556 instructors, and 17,761 students; making a body of 714 instructors, and an army of 23,106 students.

"Its church property (churches, parsonages, and colleges, aside from its 77 academies and book concern) amounts to 30,055,000 dollars!

"Its book concern has a capital of 837,000 dols.; 500 publishing agents, editors, clerks, and operatives, with some thirty cylinder-power presses in constant operation; about 2,000 different books on its catalogue, besides tracts, &c.; 14 periodicals, with an aggregate circulation of more than a million copies per month! Besides the above it has five independent, or non-official weekly papers, with immense circulation.

"Its Sunday-school Union comprises 13,400 schools, more than 150,000 instructors, nearly 918,000 pupils, and more than two millions and a-half of library books! It issues nearly 2,500 publications, besides a monthly circulation of nearly 300,000 numbers of its periodicals.

"Its Missionary Society has 1,059 circuits and stations; 1,128 paid labourers; and 105,675 communicants.

"The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, has published no statistics since the war broke out; it has doubtless suffered much by the war; but it reported, the last year before the rebellion, nearly 700,000 local preachers. It had 12 periodical publications; 12 colleges, and 77 academies, with 8,000 students. Its

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missionary society sustained, at home and abroad, about 360 missionaries, and 8 manual labour schools, with nearly 500 pupils.

"According to these figures the two great episcopal divisions of the denomination have had, at their latest report, 1,628,320 members; 9,421 travelling, and 13,205 local preachers; with 191 colleges and academies, and 31,106 students.

"The Canada Wesleyan Church was not only founded by, but for many years belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church; it now reports more than 56,000 members; 500 itinerant preachers; and 750 Sunday-schools, with about 45,000 pupils; a university, a female college, and a book concern, with its weekly periodical.

"Another branch of Canadian Methodism, the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada,' equally the child of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States, reports, 3 annual conferences; 2 bishops; 216 travelling, and 224 local preachers; and 20,000 members; a seminary and female college, and a weekly newspaper.

"The Canadian Wesleyan Methodist New Connexion Church reports, 90 travelling, and 147 local preachers; and 8,450 communicants. It sustains a weekly paper and a theological school.

"The other Methodist bodies in the United States are, the Methodist Protestant Church, the American Wesleyan Methodist, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and some three or four smaller sects; this aggregate membership amounts to about 260,000, their preachers to 3,423.

"Adding the travelling preachers to the membership, there are now in the United States about 1,901,164 Methodist communicants. Adding three non-communicant members of its congregation for each communicant, it has under its influence 7,604,636 souls-between one-fifth and one-fourth of the whole national population.

"Aggregately there are now in the United States and Canada, as the result of the Methodism of 1766,

1,972,770 church members, 13,650 travelling preachers, 15,000 local preachers, nearly 200 colleges and academies, and more than 30 periodical publications; 1,986,420 communicants, including preachers, and nearly EIGHT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE!*

"The influence of this vast ecclesiastical force on the moral, intellectual, and social progress of the New World, can neither be doubted nor measured. It is generally conceded that it has been the most energetic religious element in the social development of the continent. With its devoted and enterprising people dispersed through the whole population; its thousands of laborious itinerant preachers, and tens of thousands of local preachers and exhorters; its unequalled publishing agencies; and powerful periodicals, from the Quarterly Review to the child's paper; its hundreds of colleges and academies; its hundreds of thousands of Sunday-school instructors; its devotion to the lower and most needy classes; its animated mode of worship and religious labour, it cannot be questioned that it has been a mighty, if not the mightiest, agent in the maintenance and spread of Protestant Christianity over these lands. It stands now on the threshold of its second century, mightier than ever, in all the elements and resources requisite for a still greater history."+

STOCK-TAKING.

DEAR SIR,-Every business establishment is, or has been lately, engaged in the important and necessary work of "taking stock." Many a tradesman is fearful that his profits for the past year will be found"nil." The accounts of "Dr." and "Cr." have been checked, and every article valued, and though a good deal of exertion has been put forth during the year, the disappointed trader finds he has been "working for nothing," or, perhaps, "working to a loss." Well, it won't do to give up

* These figures do not include Eastern British America.

+ Centenary of American Methodism," 213-217.

in despair; another year opens, and with it prospects brighten, and, by hard work and watching all points, my friend hopes yet to get on and realize a competency. Though an unpleasant state of things has been revealed to him, he is thankful that Christmas has come, and that he knows how he stands.

So, Mr. Editor, I have been thinking a little "stock-taking " in regard to spiritual matters would not be out of place. I have been weighing over the "pros" and "cons." The scanty number of the former I dare not mention they are but as "filthy rags"-while the amount of the latter is enormous. Oppressed by the multitude of my "short-comings," I dare not look up; but, like the publican of old, am compelled to cry, in the bitterness of my anguish, "God be merciful to me a sinner." Let me look at a few of the items in this unprofitable account :

1st. MY OWN SOUL.-I started the year well. I sang with all my heart, "Come, let us anew," and really intended it; but, oh! the world, its parties, its pleasures, its occupations, and its gains soon found me with little but the form of godliness left.

2nd. AS TO MY FAMILY.-Not one has been saved during the year. Alas! they are nearer the mouth of the pit than they were a year ago, and I have been all but unconcerned about their terrible position.

3rd. As TO MY CLASS IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL.-Every now and then I have been absent, and my little flock have been as "sheep without a shepherd." Not one of my dear scholars have I led to the feet of Jesus.

4th. AS TO MY PREACHING, OR PUBLIC DUTIES.-I have to exclaim, "Who has believed my report, or to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" At the best, our numbers have just been kept up, and with this I have been satisfied.

Thus I might go on with other items in this unsatisfactory account, but here I must not abide. God in

his rich mercy says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." To his mercy-seat, then, will I repair, and pleading the precious blood of his Son, venture to believe that he graciously pardons my sins and sanctifies my soul, and enables me now to present to him the "living sacrifice" which only is acceptable in his sight.

Brother! sister! join me in this act of consecration, and striving to live the life of faith in the Son of God," and 1867 will be the happiest 66 new year" we have had, both for ourselves, our families, our Connexion, and whatever other relationships we sustain. Yours, &c.,

AN UNWORTHY BROTHER.

Connexional Department.

THE WONDERFUL WORK OF GOD IN CHINA. "BLESSED be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things, and blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen." By the last mail we have received the news of a profound and extensive awakening in connection with our Chinese mission, which demands immediate publication, that our whole denomination may participate in the joy, and that our sanctuaries may resound with songs of thanksgiving and praise. No such facts have previously occurred, we believe, in the history of Protestant missions in China. Fortyfive men and women, after careful examination by our brethren,

Innocent and Hall, have been found eligible for baptism, and have been organized into a church, while many more are hopeful candidates for the same privileges. This great movement has been hailed with gratitude and joy by the whole missionary staff at Tien-tsin and Peking. Our denomination will rejoice in it as a further and more signal honour conferred upon us by God, whose blessing from the beginning has rested in so eminent a degree upon our Chinese mission; but we rejoice in it yet more as a demonstration of the power of God's truth and Spirit in conquering the ignorance and superstitions, in purging away the pollutions of besotted and degraded idolators, and exalting them into the sons and daughters of the Most High God. In this aspect of the case, the "Holy Catholic Church" will participate in our joy, and bring its contributions to swell our song of praise. "O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. The Lord hath made known his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen."

I subjoin extracts from a letter of Mr. Innocent, which presents the chief features of this movement; and in a special publication, I hope, very soon, to give a narrative of the whole case from the pen of Mr. Hall, part of whose journal I have already received. In the meantime, I hope every minister will use the first opportunity of reading or reciting the principal facts in every chapel in the Connexion, and of calling upon the congregations to join in praise and prayer-praise to Jehovah of Hosts, whose zeal hath performed it; and prayer that the converts may be preserved, and that the good work may go forward to yet more signal results.

I have also to say that especial and heavy expenses are being necessarily incurred in travelling, in the rent and fitting up of rooms for public worship, and in the support of native preachers; and I hope our friends will not be backward in favouring us with donations, which may be sent to me, or to Mr. Atherton, the treasurer, and which will be duly acknowledged on the cover of the Magazine. Altrincham, Cheshire. SAMUEL HULME.

THE REV. J. INNOCENT'S LETTER.

"My last letter to you was sent in an unfinished state, owing to my having to leave so hurriedly to join Brother Hall in Shantung. The absorbing interest of the blessed work going on there almost renders it impossible for me to write about any other subject; but I shall refrain from giving any extended account, as I know my esteemed colleague is so fully informed of the interesting facts connected with that mission, and intends giving them to you in one of his characteristic letters, so that anything from me would be superfluous. My visit to the place has been a source of devout joy and abounding gratitude to God. The fatigues and discomforts of travel were scarcely felt when going thither, from the joyous feelings excited by the prospect before me; and on returning, by the wonder and gratitude I felt at what my eyes had seen. The fact of a true religious awakening in the north of China, and that in a sequestered village, nearly 150 miles away from any mission station, and where a missionary of Protestant Christianity had never set his foot, is, indeed, a marvel

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