diate neighborhood, under its own direct supervision, and in a manner most economical, the same blessed work that it is helping forward in more remote parts of the world by other agencies.

It is delightful to learn that there are at present in London more than one hundred and eighty of these missions to the poor. In glancing over various foreign religious periodicals, we observe that in several European towns, such as Lausanne in Switzerland, Brussels in Belgium; and at several missionary stations, as at Cairo, Smyrna, Oroomiah, this instrumentality has been successfully introduced. May the Lord prosper the work! Certainly does the voice of His providence seem to be addressing to us the very exhortation which the Apostle Paul addressed to the Philippian believers-HELP THOSE WOMEN which labor in the Gospel-whose names are in the Book of Life.”

GREECE AND THE GREEKS.

In our last number we referred to letters received from the Rev. Mr. Constantine and Dr. Kalopothakes of Athens. They had but just arrived at their homes, and entered on their work. In this number we give an article from the Rev. Mr. Constantine, published in the Christian Herald, revealing the character of the missionary and his love for his native land. In reading it, bear in mind that eleven years ago he landed in the city of New-York a "poor boy," and unable to speak a word of English. By his own energy By his own energy and perseverance, he has gone through a thorough literary and theological course of study at Amherst and Andover, and has now returned, under our auspices, a missionary to Athens, Greece. After speaking of the great interests of the country connected with the dethronement of their late king, he says:

"THE facilities for education," said one, "are so great in Greece, that the people become educated above their circumstances." The Greek mind is so active that it will progress just in the direction it meets the least obstruction, and like electricity, takes the easiest course. For the last days, the people progressed wonderfully in all matters where there was no dependence on the government; hence there are more learned than working men in Greece. Let the Greeks have a king with Napoleonic energy; let the Greeks have roads, facilities for intercommunication; facilitate the mode of taxation, encourage home industry, and enhance every means for the development of the resources of the country, and thus the equilibrium is restored, and there will be as many working men as there are learned men; and this is what the Greeks are in hopes of accomplishing, by requesting the present king to leave, and electing another in his place. Now, the fact that the Greeks have so overcome their Church prejudices, and in preference to a Russian prince, wish to have a Protestant, is an evidence of the progressive state of their opinions. So much about the dethrone. ment of Otho.

Here is the Greek, with a nationality so intense as to resist the influences of the most abject slavery. Through many years of decline and degradation, he has preserved his Greek character and his Greek language. "Greece," says Mr. Finley, "is the only nation handed down to us from antiquity; the same people, living in the same land, and speaking the same tongue. Their energy and enterprise are unparalelled in history. Emerging from a slavery of four hundred years, in a quarter of a century they have become a nation. First an absolute monarchy, so rapidly they advanced, that without the shedding of one drop of blood, they compelled a reluctant monarch to give them a constitution in 1843, and in 1862, with the same unanimity and order, expelled an imbecile king, who rendered the nation corrupt, and did every thing (it may be ignorantly) to check the growth of the nation. On the other hand, see what they have done where the government could have no control. In commerce, you may see more Greek merchant ships at the very port of Constantinople than of all other people put together. In education, no less than 66,000 pupils, both male and female, are educated in our schools. Scholarships and prizes for any branch of science, literature and art, are not a few. At Athens are published sixteen periodicals, and thirty-two in the whole of Greece. No less than 600,000 text-books are published by a single establishment at Athens. Time and space would fail me to communicate the various ways in which the people have become enlightened. Now, one may ask, are 'they religiously prepared to become the Christian Power in the East? A crop can not be raised in a day nor in a season. The trees need to be felled, and time must be given for the roots to rot; then the ground must be broken up and mellowed, before the seed can take root that will sustain the stalk, which in turn shall hold the fruit.

The Greek Church, like the forest land, contains in it the elements that are necessary to nourish and enrich; but it needs first to be cleared up. Intelligence and enterprise are essential for the Christian faith. This has been done. The people are becoming disgusted with myths and ceremonies, so much so, that in their election of king, they prefer a Protestant to one of the Greek Church. To be a member of the Greek Church does not to-day constitute the prevailing qualification in the mind of the people for the throne. This is but a straw upon the water, yet it tells the way the current runs. There is a preparation among the people for the reception of evangelical truth which will astonish those that never thought of the religious welfare of Greece, and have forgotten to pray for its regeneration. So great is the preparation that when a Bishop in a diocese, a short time ago, took the Bibles from the hands of the people, they wished to have him removed as an unworthy shepherd. While the Greeks have a repugnance to foreign interference with their religion, they gladly purchase the Bible from the native agent, and listen to his advice.

The religious reformation among the Greeks will be that of a revival. An earnest desire will possess the people for the truth in a way that even the opposers of religion will behold with astonishment, and confess that it is not of men, but of God. It will not be done by violence or by political maneuvering, but every one shall feel it in his bones, and shall have no rest till he can lean his head on the bosom of the Saviour. I am not a prophet, nor the son of a pro

the

phet, but methinks that after this the enemy will come and sow tares among wheat, which are not to be plucked till the judgment day. Many laugh at the idea that the Greek Empire is ever to be re-established, and the dome of St. Sophia at Constantinople again be made to reverberate the praises of Christian hearts. Christianity, however corrupt, is far better than any other form of religion. Corrupt as the Greek Church is, it has in itself the very germ of eternal life, while Mohammedanism, though it is in advance of heathenism, is by no means to be compared with the Greek Church, for it lacks not only the grace, but even the name of Christian. Christianity must ultimately triumph over and against all forms of religion, however moral. The East, once the birth-place of Christianity, is now overrun by the Mohammedans, whose prophet holds, in the minds of the people, the importance of the Saviour, and is substituted in the Saviour's place. This it seems to me was only allowed by Jehovah for a punishment to those Christians who perverted the truth they possessed to their own private uses. Just as He allowed the heathen to subdue and conquer the Israelites in Egypt and in Canaan, so He allowed the Mohammedans to oppress the Christians for a season. Now, as the heathen were in turn utterly destroyed by the Israelites, thus it seems to me will the Turks be used by the Christians, and the East once again become a Christian land. This may not be done in a generation yet to come, but we shall see the beginning of it. Let the Greek Church be reformed, and its followers become once again Christians indeed, and the Eastern problem will be solved just as fast as they become reformed.

That Christianity must ultimately triumph, there is no doubt in the minds of Christians. Is this to be accomplished when the Turk becomes a Protestant ? The Mohammedan is looking at the Christian in any form as one who is to usurp his power, and hates both the Christian and his religion. The Turkish government to-day is more intolerant to Protestantism than ever before, and Dr. H., with all his good opinion of the Turk, and with all his Yankee perseverance and enterprise, I fear will never succeed to rear up his College.

Is it, then, the Armenian who will become the Christian Power? He has neither nationality nor patriotism, not even a desire for any thing except money and easy times. In vain we look for any foreign power.

Are the Greeks only a handful? From eight to twelve millions were engaged at the revolution for their freedom, though Europe saw fit to declare free only 700,000, who in a quarter of a century have doubled. Two hundred thousand of the Ionian Islands are for annexation. The Albanians of the North are rising to join Greece. Thessaly, Epirus and Macedonia is the home of the Greek.There are more Greeks in Smyrna and Constantinople than there are Turks. That there will be a revolution, none can deny. The world progresses by jerks, and we are at the eve of a mighty shaking. At a time like this, when Greece presents itself in an attitude that the powers of Europe hesitate to express a sentiment; when the people proved to be ahead of their king; when the Greeks are gaining and the Turk is losing power; when the Greek begins to love the Bible, and the Turk more boldly expresses his hatred against Christianity,; at a time when Greece appears about to take another step higher, it becomes Chris

tians to pray, and pray earnestly, that the work of real and a live Christianity may advance among them.

Christians have long neglected to pray for the people that once gave to the world literature and the arts, civilization and the language of Christianity. In more than one respect can it be said that Plato was the fore-runner of Paul.— He prepared the mind of the age to seek for truth. The first Christian martyrs and Christian missionaries were Greeks. It was the brain of a Greek that framed the most comforting of all doctrines given us in the Bible. Our theology and creeds are the result of Grecian hands and Grecian hearts. It makes me blush to feel that Christians need to be appealed to in order to pray for the Greek. It seems to me strange how any one can study the New Testament without praying for the Greek, who gave us not only its language, but their very habits are used as illustrations to explain the doctrines of Christ, while their customs constitute the warp and the woof of the parables of Christ.

My friends, could I communicate to you my own feelings on paper-could I tell you as I feel concerning the opportunities of doing good, you would sympathize with me when I say Christians need pray in a hurry as it were, or else the work will be accomplished, and they shall have no share in it.

You are about to give us your contribution, and invest your money in doing good in Greece. All your money will do but little good unless your prayers are with it. We need money very much, yet we need prayer even more than money. May the Lord bless and prosper you all, is the prayer of your Greek friend.

THE POPISH CLERGY IN FRANCE.

THERE can be no doubt that the clergy have found their account in the Empire; but they have been distinctly given to understand, from the outset, that the law is stronger than the priest, and that they can only enjoy the smile of the Emperor on condition of prompt obedience to his supreme authority. Napoleon III. is much more moderate than his all-powerful uncle, and that probably for the reason that the temptations supplied are less strong; but one thing is certain his feelings are not to be judged by his acts. There is no question that he entertains a thorough contempt for the Pope and for his clergy, and for the system of Popery itself. Circumstanced as his Majesty is now, however, he requires to be cautious; but, happily, his opinions on the subject are upon record, and they are such as do great credit both to his understanding and to his humanity.

It is not yet fully known to what extent the Empress sways the counsels of her Imperial husband in the matter of religion; but it is agreed upon all hands that her influence is great, and not a few complain that she meddles too much. It is a fact that the Queen of Louis Philippe became increasingly the dupe of the priesthood. But for her there is no probability that the Island of Tahiti would have been subjected to the sway of France. But the Empress is more blind and more bigoted by far than the Queen was. She has imbibed her religion in the darkest spot of Europe; in this respect she is thoroughly Spanish.

But for the restraints which are upon her Majesty, she would make herself felt. As it is, however, there are bounds set to her which she may not pass. We have been interested by the excellent correspondent of Evangelical Christendom, who, writing from France, has expressed himself as follows:

"I shall not enter into the discussions excited by this grave subject. There is only one remarkable historical fact to which I would briefly call the attention of your readers. If we interrogate the annals of France for more than three hundred years-that is to say, from the commencement of the Reformation-we shall be fully convinced: 1st. That France has been victorious every time that she has been in alliance with the Protestants. 2d. That she has been defeated and forced to sign humiliating treaties of peace every time that she has attacked the Protestants under the preponderating influence of Popery. The reigns of Francis I., Henry II., Francis II., Charles IX., Henry III., Henry IV., Louis XIII., Louis XIV., Louis XV., Louis XVI., and even the reigns of more recent sovereigns, would furnish ample proofs of this twofold fact. I must leave it to the personal investigation of those well acquainted with our history.

"It thence ensures that if the French Government commit the fault of conforming itself to the Roman Catholic policy, our country will certainly be weakened and abased at the end of a certain period. In vain shall we possess large fleets, and many thousands of soldiers--in vain will our troops display a hereditary alor-nothing vcan prevail against that which is in the nature and the necessity of things.

"Popery represents the past--with its privileges, its systems of oppression, civil and religious-its ignorance and its false traditions. Protestantism, on the contrary--at least, wherever it is fully understood and reduced to practice-represents liberty of conscience and of worship, individual right and progress, together with evangelical truth and the morality of Christianity. It is in such a Protestantism that we find the future of humanity--the onward movement of civilization. The purposes of God, so far as we can discern them, are conducting the world in this direction. No people, however brave and strong, can hope to be victorious if its course be towards an opposite point. The more that French policy shall bear the impress of the Popish spirit, the more shall we be exposed to the danger of succumbing in the conflict Nevertheless, I must, with profound regret, confess, that for some time past the Romish clergy has exerted an increasing influence over the public affairs of our country. It has the upper hand in our military expeditions and other enterprises, as the sequel of my letter will but too well show,"

These noble sentiments show that there are men even in France who understand both religion and religious liberty, and have pens adequately to express their convictions. These men may not be numerous, but they will multiply with time and the spread of the Gospel. Our consolation is to believe that all things are tending to the ultimate emancipation of the French people, both politically and religiously. As to political freedom, we are less concerned. A nation so lively, so restless, and so martial, without a measure of religion, of which meanwhile they have no idea, will never be safe with free institutions; but let religion prosper, let the fear of God fill the country, and government will be an easy matter.

I am of the opinion that the Bible contains more true sensibility, more exquisite beauty, more pure morality, more important history, and finer strains of poetry and eloquence, than can be collected from all other books, in whatever age or language they may be written.

Sir William Jones.