mission, and unclouded hope. For about three months he was confined to his room, so netimes suffering much pain, but never murmuring. As he had reached a ripe old age, so was he ripe for the kingdom. He contemplated death without fear. He looked beyond this to the better life. His faith took hold on heaven; hence, as the lamp of earthly life grew down into a flicker, the lamp of his spiritual life burned up into bright flame, giving to his friends the satisfaction of knowing that the Master whom he had been serving for more than half a century, was with him in his latest moments. It was a pleasure to visit him, and speak of the rock on which he rested, and of the "good hope" which as an anchor kept the soul steadfast. His quiet life ebbed quietly out, or, rather, flowed gently and broadly on until Wednesday morning, August 4th, in the eighty-third year of his age; surrounded by his friends, it merged into the eternal life of heaven. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace." M. COTTON. DECEASE OF THE REV. C. J. DONALD. THE following from Dr. Stacey will give information respecting the last hours of our beloved brother interesting to our readers : Sunday, October 17th, 1875. MY DEAR BROTHER,-Our beloved friend, Mr. Donald, died suddenly this morning. He had been failing for some weeks. Nevertheless, after a fortnight spent at Matlock, he preached last Sunday at the Almshouses. On Friday he became worse, and, hearing of this in the morning, I sent for the doctor unknown to him. In the afternoon I found him very weak, but very peaceful. "I am quite composed," he said; "yet I am not going to meet death as a philosopher, I can only meet it in Christ-yes, in Christ." Still he expected to remain with us some time longer. He kept his bed on Saturday. Mr. Firth and Mr. E. Firth both visited him, and their presence so animated him as to produce the conviction that death was yet some distance off. He came, however, not many hours after, and came unnoticed by anyone, and probably without recognition even by our brother. "I hope I shall have a good day to-morrow, and I believe I shall," he said to Mrs. Stacey, who stood over him late in the day, and his words were prophetic of the fact, but in a sense he did not contemplate. God turned his Sunday into an eternal Sabbath. "How many fall as sudden, not as safe!" I am, yours affectionately, J. STACEY. CURRENT TOPICS AND REUNION OF METHODISM. EVENTS. THE Reunion of Christendom is as yet a beautiful dream; but the Reunion of Methodism is already within the range of reasonable possibility. When the laymen are admitted into Conference-which will take place immediately the laymen bestir themselves, but not one day before-the only real obstacle will be removed. It will then be difficult to name any just cause or impediment why the disjecta membra of Methodism should not be all united together into one colossal Church, possessing matchless advantages that would make her the great champion of pure Evangelical faith. We know not where to begin or where to end the long catalogue of blessings which would follow a reunion of the Methodist Churches. It would be the salvation of Protestantism in the English villages. At present our energies are too often wasted in vainly striving to maintain two Methodist chapels in the midst of sparse populations which can properly support only one. In the large towns the strength springing from union and co-operation would enable us to make Home Missionary efforts on a scale commensurate with their vast and appalling necessities. On the other hand, can anyone mention a single reason for continued disunion that would endure a moment's comparison with the incalculable blessings of union? We are thankful that long steps have already been taken in the direction of this blessed result. The flourishing Canadian branch of the Methodist New Connexion has united with the various Churches in Canada, formerly affiliated with our Conference, to form one great "Methodist Church of Canada," which occupies the whole vast territory from the Atlantic to the Pacific shore. There is a strong desire on the part of the Primitive Methodist Church of Canada to enter this great reunited Methodist Church, and we trust that the Primitive Methodist Conference in England will take such an enlightened and magnanimous view of the matter as will lead to that beneficent consummation. Coming nearer home, we find that there is every prospect of the Irish Primitive Methodist Church being. united to the Irish branch of the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion. In England itself there is an honourable desire for union on the part of the New Connexion- —a desire which we heartily reciprocate. It will be a good day for England and for Protestantism when the New Connexion, the Bible Christians, the United Methodist Churches, and the Primitive Methodist Connexion unite with the parent body to create the "Methodist Church of Britain." In the meantime let us pave the way for that great result by Christian recognition of these sister-Churches, and by fraternal intercourse with them throughout the length and breadth of the land.—The Methodist. THE CANADIAN CONFERENCES. The three Annual Conferences, formed out of what was formerly comprised in the Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Canada, and that of the Methodist New Connexion, have held their several sessions. The London Conference met in Brantford, on the 2nd of June; the Toronto Conference in Picton, on the 9th; and the Montreal Conference in Kingston, on the 16th of the same month. This arrangement gave the General Conference officers, and the treasurers of the several funds, an opportunity to be present at each of them, to represent the interests which have been severally committed to their care. It is matter of congratulation and devout thankfulness to the great Head of the Church that these ecclesiastical gatherings have been attended with so much unanimity of action and cordial good feeling in every instance. Brethren who met together for the first time wrought as harmoniously with one another as if they had never been connected with separate organisations. So far as the ministers are concerned, at least, the union is complete in spirit, as it is in form; and though time may be required to completely heal the wounds which have been inflicted in particular neighbourhoods in former days, and to obliterate the memory of such a state of things, which happily exists no longer, the demonstration of the feasibility of the fusion of all the separated parts of our common Methodism into one homogeneous amalgam may be considered complete. There has been in each of the Conferences a gratifying increase in the membership of the Church, as compared with last year. The work of Church extension has been pushed forward with commendable zeal; and though in some few instances there has been a slight falling off in the funds, it is readily accounted for by the uncommon stringency of the money market, and the commercial depression which has prevailed throughout the country. Upon the whole, the year just closed has been marked by a gratifying degree of prosperity; and while, as a Church, we raise our stone of remembrance, and put upon it the inscription, "Hitherto the Lord hath helped us," we have a right to "thank God and take courage," in the confident assurance that" the Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge."-Canadian Methodist Magazine. MISSIONARY CHRONICLE OF THE Methodist New Connexion. OCTOBER, 1875. TREASURER: J. B. WADSWORTH, Esq., HIGHFIELD HOUSE, MACCLESFIELD. SECRETARY: REV. S. HULME, HEATON CHAPEL, NEAR STOCKPORT. CHINA. WE publish an interesting letter from Mr. Innocent who recently visited the churches in Laou-Ling. Facts are given which show very conclusively that the work in that populous district is genuine and capable of great expansion, The opinion of Mr. Bryant coincides with that of the Committee and of our brethren in China, that the residence of two missionaries is imperatively necessary for the conservation and extension of our work. But this distribution of the missionaries is not possible till we have four men, exclusive of the one whose services will be required in the Training Institution. Petty persecutions now and then occur in this district, an instance of which is narrated by Mr. Innocent, but with such exceptions, the churches dwell in peace, our missionaries and their fellow helpers prosecute their work without hindrance, under encouraging tokens of God's presence and blessing. TIENTSIN, July 6th, 1875. My visit to Laou-Ling, in regard to the spiritual interests of the church, was gratifying. I baptized five men, five women, and five children. The women and the children are the wives or offspring of men already connected with the church, and are another encouraging proof of the growth of Christian influence in families. The men may be said to represent entirely new conquests, and the breaking up of fresh ground. These baptisms were all in the northern part of the circuit, and thus afford an additional evidence that the Lord is again reviving His work where coldness has so long prevailed. We are encouraged by these facts to hope that where we have had to mourn over decline, we shall soon be able to rejoice over healthy and growing churches. The services of the sanctuary evolved the usual joyous interest of the members, and drew together larger numbers than can be gathered in the absence of the missionary. The presence of the Lord was also felt among us, and His Word refreshed the people. The dulness of farm labourers is proverbial, and it is a common thing for us to find mechanical and obtuse specimens of spiritual life. When amongst such a people, therefore, we find one who shows any vivacity in spiritual matters.this case impresses us the more. I have met with several during this visit in whose hearts the Spirit of God is at work, leading them on to green pastures and beside still waters." A man at Wu-KwanTun, who was last year brought into the church, is a pleasing instance. He is now fifty-six years of age, and Of at one time was in very good circumstances, though now a poor man. He had for many years been the recognized leader in idolatrous festivals, spending his time and money in promoting those scenes of folly and dissipation of which such festivals are the occasion. Now, his heart is altogether changed, and he not only deprecates these proceedings, but has been zealously endeavouring to persuade his old companions to give up the practice, and his neighbours to cease their attendance on such scenes, or even visiting the temples. course, he has met with a good deal of abuse, but he seems almost oblivious of this, and thinks chiefly of the few who have seriously listened to his exhortations, and given him any sort of encouragement to think that they will go with him to the chapel and hear the gospel. What struck me was, the keen sense the man has of the truth and reality of God's Word. The passage of Scripture which had most hold on his mind at the time when he came to see me was, "and gather the wheat into his garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." "Now." he said to me, "does not the chaff mean the wicked?" I replied in the affirmative. He sighed and said, "All my neighbours and old companions are like the chaff! what can I do to save them from the fire?" In this and a variety of other ways he dwelt on this and kindred passages during my stay, thanking God that He had delivered him from the fire, and deploring the wickedness of the people about him and their great danger. He also asked if I would not allow him to go to Tientsin, that he might better study Christian doctrine, and thus fit himself for better instructing his neighbours. He said, "I don't want you to pay me anything-I will keep myself, if you will give me sleeping room, and let me be near the missionaries. I do love the gospel, and I want everybody to know it. I have nothing to keep me at home; my wife is dead, my two sons are married, and can look after the little farm, and they offer to allow me enough to keep me at Tientsin." And then he added, with beaming eyes, "They, too, (his sons,) want to become Christians, and are so glad that I am one." I satisfied him that under present circumstances it was better for him to remain at home, but was nevertheless greatly pleased with such a spontaneous effusion of a genuine and generous heart. Several other men, of greater ability, made a similar proposal about going to Tientsin, but none of them showed the same spirituality of mind, or the same obliviousness of self-interest. What an illustration of the truth of the Apostle's words in this man, any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.' The enthusiastic idolater is now the enthusiastic Christian, a persecutor made a friend. 'If At this same place, some of our members have been suffering for some months from the wrongs and insults of a swaggering son of the old squire of the village. He has exercised a sort of terrorism over the people for a long time, and latterly has shown special spite against the Christians. His acts were such as to call for the interference of the magistrate, but the poor people knew that as justice is bought and sold in China, they would not only stand no chance of getting redress if they lodged a complaint against him at the Yamen, but that it would expose them to still greater outrages. This ruffian, however, turned his cattle one day in the spring into a field of wheat belonging to one of our members, who of course turned out the cattle and remonstrated with the offender. The young squire stood on his dignity, and asserted his ruffianly despotism by abusing the poor man, and proceeded to such lengths in the quarrel as to take a band of his men armed with matchlocks and implements of husbandry to the poor man's house to beat him and his family, and drive them from the place. The old man managed, however, to escape privately, and made his way to Tientsin, calling first at Chu-Chia, where Mr. Hu gave him a letter to us stating the whole case. We felt that it was desirable to take some action for the protection of our little church; and on stating the case to our Consul, proposed a plan which he fully approved, but which did not involve (as we did not desire at this stage of the case,) his official interference. On my arrival, I went to see the local magistrate, who received me very courteously, heard my statement of the whole case, and the annoyances to which our members had been previously subjected, and claimed that according to Treaty our members should not be persecu ted for their religious opinions. He very readily agreed to do all that was necessary if called upon to interpose in the matter. I told him we had no wish to do more at present than inform him of the state of things, and hoped to be able to ar1ange privately the settlement of the matter. This visit to the Mandarin made a great impression on the young squire, for he had sent his spies after us to the city, and they returned and reported to him how we had been received. I then intimated to his father, who called at the chapel to see me, that we wished this dispute to be settled in a quiet way, and were willing to meet any arbitrators he might appoint to arrange it, and that I would have nothing to say in the matter if they would only arrange it amongst themselves, and at once. There was some attempt at evasion, so I sent the complainant to the city to lodge his case, and ask for a summons and a trial. When he was gone the offender sent two gentlemen to act for him as arbitrators. Mr. Hu and another member of the church were appointed to meet them. They discussed and arranged the affair in true Chinese style, and the decision was, that the offender should apologize for the wrong he had done, and as a fine, pay the old man his expenses to Tientsin and back. The hour and place were fixed, neither the temple nor the chapel, but the house of the village schoolmaster; the proud man acknowledged his sin and apologized to the poor old man in the presence of friends of both parties, and they shook hands, as we say, and parted friends. When the money for the fine was sent in, the old man declined receiving a cash, and wanted to give it towards the expenses of my journey. I would not have it, so he forthwith gave it to the church for the purchase of new seats for the little preaching room. This is but a brief statement of the case; there were many little details both difficult and unpleasant, which it is not necessary to mention. It is satisfactory to us to know that ultimately all parties were greatly pleased with the way in which the thing was settled; even the squire's family sent to me expressions of their thanks and assurances of permanent good-will towards the little church. The incident inspired our members with confidence, and they rejoiced that their great enemy had thus been made their friend. We were thankful that peace had been secured in a way that left no bitterness or ground for revenge when a suitable opportunity should present itself. Both parties invited Mr. Hu and myself to dinner, the Chinese way of returning thanks, but we could only accept the invitation of the Christian brother, and very much we enjoyed the good things he provided. It may seem to many, that it was a little thing for this man to give this small sum of money to the church under such circumstances, but those who know the Chinese in this part of the world, will say, that it was what very few men would have done. He has some noble qualities, which, under Christian training, and by divine grace, will make him an excellent and helpful member of the church of Christ. Very few of our members appreciate their relation and indebtedness to the church, but this man has got the true ring in him, and in various ways shows practically his disposition to help the church. May the Lord raise up among us many such men. We often meet with instances of earnest simple faith among this people as to the literal interpretation of the word of God-the possibility of sickness being cured in answer to prayer, by the direct interposition of Christ, as in the days of His flesh. The Chinese are trained from infancy to pray to certain deities in cases of physical suffering, and to regard recovery as the result of the interference of the God. This is often done without the use of medicines, or only of such remedies as may be indicated by a chance draw from a box of recipes kept by priests in the temple. When these ignorant people receive Christianity, they are greatly impressed with the miraculous power of Christ, and regard this power as available still for those who pray to him. They cannot appreciate arguments which go to show that the age of miracles is past; they like a religion which can give them physical as well |