I

society and congregation are flourishing. A Mission station is a permanent circuit under denominational culture, which should be continually passing through one stage of development after another, until it reaches that point where it can stand and grow without external support, by virtue of its own strength. The friends on this station are working earnestly for this end, which they hope very soon to accomplish. We cull the following extracts from the missionary's journal:-"The morning was devoted to study. In the afternoon, called to see an old man who is under conviction of sin. He is very ignorant, but is an anxious inquirer after salvation. He is not far from the kingdom. His wife also is anxious about religion. She has recently broken her arm and otherwise injured herself, or she would come with her husband to the chapel. May both be united to Christ Jesus by a living faith. In another house, I found that death had visited the family a few days before. My work was to deepen the impression produced by that solemn event. O how dark is the unregenerate mind, and how strongly opposed to Divine things! It was with great difficulty that I was instrumental in God's hands of accomplishing my design in any measure."-"Morning, at home. Afternoon, visited three families, two of which had affliction. found a woman, mother of a large family, dangerously ill-so ill that at times her reason was clouded; yet, most remarkable, though she could not recognize her own daughter, she was perfectly rational in answering the questions I put in reference to her soul. I have ground to believe that she is justified through the blood of Christ."— Morning in study. Afternoon, visited two families, and found affliction in one. Met my class, and was pleased with the improved attendance; and was equally pleased with the evening meeting. One of the members had prevailed on a friend to come with him, who it became evident as the meeting proceeded was a backslider. Tears of penitence began to flow, and he requested the prayers of the meeting in his behalf. God heard our prayers, for before we separated the penitent wanderer rejoiced that God for Christ's sake had pardoned his sins and reinstated him in his family. O that this may be the prelude to the conversion of hundreds in this place!"-"Some of the families visited attend places of worship; others wholly disregard religion, but one or two of them promised to begin a better course of life. I am convinced that drunkenness is the prevailing sin. As I behold the wretchedness consequent upon this vice my heart aches." "Most of those visited this week belong to the middle class of society. Some attend public worship, others do not, but several promised to attend our chapel."-"The families I have visited live in a low neighbourhood, and apparently are very degraded in their habits. They are ever ready to plead poverty as an excuse for not attending a place of worship. O that they were wise, that they would consider their latter end!' Some promised to amend their ways."

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No. 3 Station is in the north of England, having two branches, one in an old but thriving town, the other in a town a few miles distant, which has grown in population and wealth with almost the rapidity of an American or Australian settlement. God has richly blessed this Mission. Larger accommodation for schools and congre

gation has been much needed for some time, and the friends are exerting themselves to realize £500 to meet the conditions on which the Committee have promised a grant toward the erection of a new chapel. Our prospects are bright, and our harvest will be abundant if we devise liberal things and energetically work them out. The depression of the iron trade is very severely felt in this district, and Lauch retards our special operations; but when the tide rolls back, as we trust it soon will, we anticipate that this Mission will gain a yet higher stage of strength and usefulness. The journal of the missionary at this station is so meagre as not to admit of extracts.

No. 4 Station is fixed in a northern watering-place, the resort of great multitudes during the summer season, and whose general salubrity and mild temperature have brought many invalids to the place as permanent residents. Many of our friends in the Manchester District who frequent the place felt a strong desire for a sanctuary of our own, in which they could worship God under our own forins, and hear the Gospel preached by our own ministers. This desire brought them together for conference and co-operation, and the result has been the purchase of a plot of land and the erection of a school and chapel. God has accepted and blessed the enterprise. A church has been organized, including several respectable and devoted families from Liverpool, Ashton, and other places, a flourishing Sunday-school established, and now the question of enlargement is being entertained. This is a very gratifying instance of what may be done where our friends are faithful to the Connexion, and work and give and pray for its extension. The missionary's labours are largely devoted to visitation of the infirm and sick who are either occasional or permanent residents, but the following extracts from his journal indicate that he is active and faithful in doing his proper work as a missionary:-" Made eight visits. Called to see a man who is passing away in a rapid consumption. His parents were pious, and until he left home he attended a Wesleyan chapel, but since his marriage he has never attended a place of worship. He listened attentively to my conversation, seemed anxious about his soul, and responded audibly during prayer. I have good hopes of his conversion. Met my class in the evening." Referring to the second of three districts in the town, the journal records-"It comprises three streets, which are inhabited by working people, and afford a most promising field for Methodistic agency. A careful visitation is being carried out with gratifying results. instances the families appeared gratified with my calls. One or two instances of good done by our agencies may be mentioned. A young man of considerable intelligence, who had attended a neighbouring chapel and been a teacher in the Sunday-school, for some reason withdrew from the place. Whilst in an unsettled state he was induced to attend our services. Impressed with the truths he heard, he became one of our most regular hearers. The good seed having ripened into the fruit of a full consecration to Christ, he became a candidate for church fellowship and a diligent and useful teacher in our school. He now evinces great earnestness, and promises to be one of our most active and valuable helpers. A husband and wife had attended our services a little time before my first visit. I found

In most

them both in an unsettled and painful state of mind. It appears they formerly belonged to another church, but owing to some unpleasantness in the church they withdrew. From that period a desponding spirit possessed them, nor had they felt any inclination to unite with another church. I conversed and prayed with them, but left them, to all appearance, in the same painful state. Having satisfied myself of their Christian consistency, I repeated my visits, and invited them to cast in their lot with us. They finally determined to do so, and are now consistent and useful members. The husband is becoming a valuable helper in prayer and other meetings, and is anxious to work for Christ in any way within his power. Their children attend the Sunday-school. In endeavouring to induce the children of this neighbourhood to attend our school, our chief difficulty is found in the fact that many of them attend the Church of England day-school, which they are expected to attend on the Sunday also. The whole of this district is regularly supplied with tracts."

"There still remain to be noticed the policemen, shrimp-women, donkey-drivers, &c., who occupy the miserable one-story houses in the rear of our chapel, and also in the locality known as Little London. It is impossible to exaggerate the ignorance and depravity in which great numbers of them are living. It would seem as though ordinary Christian agencies cannot reach their case. Independents and Wesleyans have employed missionaries to labour amongst them, and the Established Church has made very strenuous efforts, but all have been alike unsuccessful. I ventured, on one occasion, to speak to a half-clad, herculean-framed, shaggy-bearded man, who was lounging at the door of his white-washed hovel, but immediately I was greeted with an outburst of terrible cursing, that caused me to shrink from him with horror. One of our friends has gone amongst these cottages before the Sunday evening service, to invite the people to the house of Cod, when he has found many of the men just risen from bed, where they had spent the previous part of the day. The children who are induced to come to the Sunday-school, are almost unmanageable, and we seldom retain them more than a few weeks."—"I met with a young man who had been a member with us at Hartlepool, but who had been separated from the church two years. He told me that he was very anxious to regain his former happy state of experience. I had noticed his earnest attention and devoutness at the public services, and often wished for an opportunity of speaking to him. He promised me to go to class to-morrow evening."-"Monday: couducted morning devotions at the Convalescent Hospital; visited a man who is suffering from abscess, and not likely to recover. I found that he had formerly been a member of our community at Hollingworth, but having removed from the village a few years since, had not united with any other church. I had a long and serious conversation with him, but was far from being satisfied with his spiritual state. Read and prayed with him."-" Visited the poor man before referred to, who is suffering from an abscess. I found him gradually becoming weaker, but was glad to perceive a greater degree of earnestness about his spiritual condition. I have often found the case of backsliders is the most difficult with which we have to deal, and this is a fact in illustration. I hope, however, his heart is touched,

Made

and that he will be led back to the Saviour he has forsaken. four calls upon members and visitors from other towns."-" Preached in the chapel in the evening. Made five visits in the afternoon and evening upon persons residing near our chapel, who occasionally attend our services. One poor woman informed me that she was very anxious to take sittings with us, but cannot persuade her husband to accompany her to any place of worship. He spends his Sundays at home in reading newspapers, etc., away from home all the week at his work; the only chance of an interview with him is on a Sunday."

Here for the present we pause. The facts presented in the extracts we have given, will be read with interest, as showing the need which still exists for the missionary labours of Methodism in both our towns and villages. They also supply evidence that now, no less than in the pristine days of Methodism, when an agent, bearing its message and imbued with its spirit, penetrates into the field, which is the world, God is with him and gives him success. Our Home Mission meets a pressing demand in our country for evangelistic labour, and also a pressing demand in our Connexion for the extension of its borders. "Who then is on the Lord's side?" Every lover of God, of his country, and of our community, should bring to this institution his most hearty support-his prayers, his money, and his labours. S. H.

RIDGWAY MEMORIAL CHAPEL, HANLEY. [We have just received the following statement and appeal from our good friends at Hanley, on the chapel now being erected as a memorial to the late J. Ridgway, Esq. The high character, the benevolent contributions, the incessant labours, and pre-eminent services to the cause of God and humanity rendered through a long life by Mr. Ridgway, lay the present generation, and especially our own Denomination, under deep obligation to revere and love the memory of our departed friend; and in no way so suitable can the tribute be rendered as by the erection of a chapel near the spot where he lived and died, to be for ever connected with his name. We are glad this is being done; and with all our heart commend the appeal to the generous and grateful feeling of our friends throughout the Connexion. Who that knew Mr. Ridgway, would not wish to have a stone in such a monument to his memory ?-ED.]

ABOUT thirty-three years ago the late Mr. Ridgway, of Cauldon Place, whose name is a household word in the Methodist New Connexion, erected a small and neat chapel and school for the use of his work-people, and others, residing in the neighbourhood of his manufactory. For many years this building was adequate to the wants of the worshippers, and the Sunday-school has been of immense importance to those for whose benefit it was established, as well as to the Church with which it is connected.

A few years before his death, to prevent any legal difficulty that might have arisen after his decease, the property was vested in trustees for the sole use of the Connexion, upon the model deed, and

Mr. Ridgway absolutely relinquished all control over it for himself and his representatives.

Of late years, from the very great increase of the population in the vicinity, this chapel has been too small for the worshippers, and many persons have declined to join the society because they could not be comfortably accommodated. A larger chapel, more commodious, and better suited to the requirements of the present day, has therefore become a necessity.

Other denominations have been anxious to occupy ground so promising, and only waited the decision of our friends, out of respect for the memory of the noble-minded individual by whose generosity this gift was made to the Connexion.

While discussing what at first sight appeared an impracticable project to be accomplished by a handful of working-men, the suggestion was made that no opportunity could be more favourable for the erection of a monument to the memory of our venerated friend, a monument which, while of a permanent and honourable character, would at the same time promote the great objects of his life, the advancement of religion, and the welfare of the Community he loved so well.

A suggestion so obvious and practicable commended itself to general appreciation, and it was at once determined that the new chapel should be a memorial of Mr. Ridgway

As such, it comes before the Connexion, with the sanction of Conference, and the trustees feel assured that such an appeal to the liberality, public spirit, and gratitude of the Body will not be made in vain.

Destined for such a purpose, it was necessary that the edifice, without being extravagant or pretentious, should be somewhat ornamental in character; and the design adopted, it will be seen, is that of a neat and plain, yet handsome Gothic structure, which, while ecclesiastical in its character, will be adapted to the situation occupied and to the requirements of the congregation, and will seat about five hundred.

The total cost, including the purchase of land, will be about £2,500. Of this sum £400 has been raised by the congregation and society which will worship in it. This is the result of nearly four years' accumulations, during which the project has been constantly before them. And the friends on the spot having shown their willingness to exert themselves to the utmost of their humble ability, the trustees now ask the opulent and liberal friends of the Connexion, more especially those who entertained a regard for one of its most laborious, faithful, and distinguished members, to assist them in doing honour to his memory.

Subscriptions in aid of the Building Fund are respectfully solicited, and will be duly acknowledged, by JOSEPH CLEMENTSON, Esq., Hanley, Chairman to the Building Committee; or Mr. H. WALLEY, Secretary, 10, Russell Street, Hanley.

IRISH MISSION,

BANGOR STATION.

MY DEAR SIR,—I wish, through the dium of the Magazine, to inform

the numerous friends of our missions in Erin's green isle, of the success with which the Lord has crowned our efforts in the erection of a