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If such encouraging things occur, in places where the efforts of the evangelists have been, till now, so completely fruitless, is it not the surest testimony that facts of a much more important nature have been accomplished, in stations where there have not been so many difficulties. One may indeed here affirm, that never since its existence has the Evangelical Society of France been in a state of spiritual prosperity similar to that of this year; and the next report will shew, that his goodness and mercy of God towards this country develope themselves in a manner more and more admirable. May this same report state, that the children of God have not remained below the duties imposed upon them by such circumstances, and that they have taken a more and more active part in a work that is so well pleasing to their heavenly Father.

III.

ABSTRACT OF THE GENEVA EVANGELICAL SOCIETY'S THIRTY-NINTH CIRCULAR.

The following account is given of the efforts of the Society in some parts of France.

Geneva, Nov. 25, 1838. As in a newly-planted nursery one sees some trees yet feeble, whose growth is still uncertain, and others which are promising, which have already gained some strength, and extended new roots in the earth; so in this field of God, there are churches which have still something indeterminate, there are others which act up to their consciences. Some are still assemblies without a common bond of union, beyond that of preaching; they are meetings of adults who are coming to the truth. The others-and, thanks be to God, they form the greater number, are societies united in more or less close brotherhood, desirous to

place birth, sickness, and death, childhood, youth, and old age, under the protecting care of the gospel of Christ. Unhappily where ancient Protestants are found, save some remarkable exceptions, they are neither examples to the flock, nor a comfort and support to the evangelists. A great coldness, arising often from mixed marriages, characterizes them to such a degree, that some appear charmed to find in our work ground of prejudice. At Chalons, for instance, some of these Protestants allowed a chapel to be built for them, rather than take an interest in the work; and in the meanwhile they remained strangers to the worship conducted in this city, by a servant of God whose worth would be appreciated elsewhere, because it was not carried on between four walls arranged in a certain manner.

In some places there is no opening for the establishment of new schools; but in others they are absolutely necessary. Parents converted from Romanism, are anxious to lead their children in the same path; besides the Popish schools are sometimes inaccessible to them, on account of the contempt and reproaches that the children would there meet. We know the power of schools, and the effect produced by childhood upon our maturer years. The word HOPE seems to be written in characters of celestial fire, on the door of every school where Christ is faithfully and wisely announced to the early age of childhood. There are found the recruits, who, if it please the Lord, and by his blessing, will fortify and consolidate these new churches founded in the midst of darkness.

The work of our stations is certainly human. From the highest to the lowest we would own ourselves

fallible men, who have confessions to

make, and to

But it is also

lay trembling at the foot of the cross. divine. This is particularly manifested by the manner in which we have been led to works, which, could we have foreseen their difficulties, we should never have undertaken. Thus, strictly speaking, chapels were not necessary, for the assemblies of Branges and Sornay, but they were requested: the servants of the Lord, or rather the Lord himself, pleaded this cause in our hearts; and two chapels, flanked with what is necessary for schools, are now rising in view from the roads of Tournus and Chalons, where they announce to every passenger, in a silent but significant manner, some new designs of mercy to this place on the part of our Lord. A violent storm, which, injuring one of these yet unfinished buildings, occasioned some additional delay and expense in its erection, may have been intended to check the slight feeling of exultation that the rising building might occasion; at least it gave rise to the following practical remark from one of our dear evangelists: "It is no where written that what we do for the Lord shall proceed without impediments." This is what we repeat to our friends, that neither they nor we may forget it.

Doubtless the erection of these two chapels has powerfully contributed to the strengthening of this station. Our brethren have their spiritual home, they can offer it as a blessing from the Lord to those who, weary of the yoke of Rome, undeceived of a thousand illusions, opening their eyes to the light of the gospel, begin to seek the springing waters of eternal life. If these should ask themselves, "In case I join these new Christians what would be my church;

who would be my pastor; where would be my children's school; where would be my baptism, my communion, my last abode?" The erection of the chapels has rooted out all these thorns which might in many souls have stifled the good seed.

But it is chiefly a great number of souls who have been CONVERTED, or drawn to the gospel, that proves this work to be of God. Many have already taken their flight to the eternal abodes, and have exchanged buildings raised by the hands of men for that whose builder and maker is God. Doubtless the appreciation is here difficult, "the Lord knoweth them that are his," but the life of Christ manifests itself, nevertheless, with more or less evidence, and while we place here the restrictions which prudence and discretion demand, we may, rendering glory to the Lord, and with a holy trembling, say, there are in these various stations, and as the fruit of the labours of our dear brothers, more than one hundred and thirty-six persons serious and well-disposed; and above a hundred of whom we might say more. Is this a work of God? done in so short time, amidst persons so enveloped in darkness.

And when we speak of souls more than well-disposed, we speak of those, in one of these flocks, who are kind to the sick; of the poor who go to visit them, and supply their wants and necessaries. We speak of a member of the church of Branges, who devoted himself to teach what he knew to the school, during the illness of the master, and who underwent many sacrifices and expences for him, and would receive no remuneration; of an aged person, of whom one could not enquire "How are you?" without her thinking of her soul. We will cite the remark of a somewhat unin

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