BASSA MISSION. BEXLEY.-J. VONBRUNN, and two other native assistants. In this country, Rev. J. S. and Mrs. GOODMAN, Mrs. L. G. CLARKE, and Rev. H. B. SHERMER, the last under appointment to an Asiatic mission. Two stations; two missionaries and two female assistants; four native assistants. Our latest advices from the mission, Feb. 11, report the continued occupancy of the stations. An attentive and increasing congregation regularly assembles on the Sabbath. A Sabbath school is also in successful operation. The church statistics are not given.* MISSION TO FRANCE. PARIS.-Rev. E. and Mrs. WILLARD. Eight stations and nine outstations; † one missionary and one female assistant; five ordained native preachers, three evangelists, and one colporteur. There are also four theological students, one of whom officiates as an assistant teacher and preacher. The year has been one of spiritual prosperity. Notwithstanding the opposition of the papal clergy, the annoying surveillance of the police, and the failure of the government to take any decided measures in the direction of religious toleration, the truth has been winning the way to the heart and conscience. Many baptismal occasions have been enjoyed without interruption, and scarcely one takes place at which some soul is not led to Christ. The congregations on the Sabbath are very serious, and there are several cases of encouragement. It is reported from one of the outstations, that the work steadily advances and new persons are continually presenting themselves as inquirers. In one town the people discuss so seriously the question whether Rome is in the right path or the Baptists, that the vicar has considered it necessary to preach in defence of his own system, in contradiction to that which is assuming in the minds of the people so dangerous a rivalry. The union of the members at Denain is strengthened,and the church exhibits much spiritual life. Two of the assistants have been ordained the past year, one of whom is at this post. The chapel of Chauny, which has been closed by order of the prefect more than two years, is still shut; but worship is held as usual at the outstations. In the region of Lafère divine service is celebrated in forests and bye places, the right to assemble at all being denied by the prefect. Indeed all meetings of the Baptists in the department de l'Aisne are expressly forbidden. Yet the goodness of God and a proof of his approbation of the mission are seen in the fact that the subordinate local authorities have formed so high an estimate of the blameless life of the brethren that they protect them to the utmost of their ability. Similar intolerance exists in the department de l'Oise, though it is not pushed to the same extent. The assistants stationed there, are obliged to perform a great part of their work by means of private visits—a laborious method, and yet at present the only feasible one. The government has to a certain degree and at some points relaxed its severity. Colporting labors have not been embarrassed as in the year preceding. Nevertheless, nothing decisive has been gained by all the petitions and efforts in favor of religious toleration. The policy of the government seems to be to merge the whole dissenting interest into the one. salaried national church, so as to do away with all proselytism and efforts for evangelization. Meanwhile the assistants seem determined to make known the way of salvation to the utmost of their ability, up to the moment of imprisonment or transportation. They are a choice company of laborers, as it respects fidelity, love and perseverance, and God adds his blessing to their efforts. The prosperity of the cause in Paris is unexpected and striking. When Mr. Willard first established himself there, on his removal from Douai two years since, his entire audience consisted of no more than sixteen or eighteen persons. Now the church numbers thirty-five, and the number of hearers who frequent the chapel is not less than seventy or eighty. "The work does not cease up to this moment (April 4). Here at Paris we have had as many at our chapel as we could seat; all are in full activity." "The church members walk generally in a satisfactory manner, and the Lord is evidently in the midst of us." "There is no more reason for discouragement than in former years. Something has been effected. The Lord has blessed the effort made." For four months successively, no meeting was held in Paris without the presence of a police agent. The brethren, however, were perfectly satisfied to receive these visits. "We sang, prayed, preached and broke bread, with the same freedom and confidence as though none but approved friends were present." The church now seems to enjoy perfect liberty, and no recent visits have been made by the officers of government. To the laborers at Paris has been added a colporteur, a faithful brother and one who has had much experience in this sphere of usefulness. Many well-disposed people from the provinces purchase Bibles and Testaments. Tracts have been given to nearly two hundred persons, most of whom read them with interest. In the southeastern department there has been less apparent prosperity, although the state of things has in reality improved. The church at Lyons has been severely tried through the influence of a heretical evangelist. At least one half of the members have adopted the views of the Plymouth Brethren, so called, and the hand of fellowship has been withdrawn from them. After this painful trial, the remaining members for a season enjoyed a degree of prosperity. The cloud, however, still overshadows the church with gloom. At St. Etienne all has been peaceful, and nothing seems wanting but the right sort of effort to ensure greater success. Mr. Willard has visited all the members at their own homes, and found them generally faithful. The church at this place has been bereaved by the death of Mr. Berthond. He was baptized at St. Etienne in April, 1849, and at once commenced his labors as a colporteur evangelist. He was ordained pastor of a feeble church at Anse, Lyons, in November, 1851, and died Feb. 25, 1856, beloved and lamented. The following table exhibits the condition of the several stations. HAMBURG.-Rev. Messrs. J. G. ONCKEN, C. SCHAUFFLER, J. BRAUN. BERLIN.-Rev. G. W. LEHMANN. BARMEN and ELEERFELD.-Rev. J. KOEBNer. Sixty-one stations, four hundred and forty-one outstations; five missionaries, and seventyone other native preachers and assistants. The divine blessing has continued to attend the efforts for the diffusion of the knowledge of God and of true religion in the field embraced in the German mission. The number of stations has been increased. The churches have been extended, and confirmed in faith and stability. At several points converts have been multiplied. The principles of religious toleration have gained a deeper hold upon the community; and the evangelical portion of Europe, moved especially by the persecutions suffered by our brethren on account of religion, has roused itself, in the persons of some of its most distinguished and gifted men, to the advocacy of true soul-liberty and gospel freedom. Notwithstanding occasional reverses and severe and unrighteous exactions, mysteriously permitted in the providence of God, the hand on the dialplate of Christian progress has steadily gone forward. Who that compares the present state of the Baptist cause on the continent of Europe, and the mustering of the true friends of heart-religion, of every name, against popery and formalism on the one hand and against intolerance on the other, with the state of things in 1834, when seven believers in Hamburg were buried with Christ in baptism in the waters of the Elbe, without defenders, without associates, but must exclaim with devout gratitude, "What hath God wrought!" In reviewing the operations of the year just closed, we begin with Hamburg, where this now wide-spread movement had its rise. Here regular worship has been maintained, both in the city and suburbs, without molestation. The attendance has generally been good. Often numerous strangers have been present. During the summer many emigrants have here, for the first time in their lives, heard of the sinner's Friend, and of their lost condition without faith in him. At numerous outstations also, the word of life has been regularly proclaimed. And through the various agencies for doing good employed by the church, fiftyfive souls have been baptized into the Saviour's death. Besides the preaching of the word, the brethren of the church have performed on the Lord's day the difficult and self-denying labor of visiting from house to house as city missionaries. In this way not less than 4817 visits have been made and as many tracts have been lent, thirty-seven copies of the Scriptures have been sold, and 6,397 tracts have been given away, and the word of truth has been brought to many thousands in their own houses, who never attend public worship, and who are totally ignorant of their danger as impenitent sinners, and of the way of salvation. Many neglected children have also been brought into the Sabbath schools, where they are led to Him who said, "Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." The female missionary society, though its circle of influence has been more circumscribed, has sowed precious seed for eternity. The sisters have distributed nearly 300 copies of the Scriptures, and 5,000 tracts. In this work they have had many opportunities to set before both Jews and heathen the one thing needful repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. More than once, Israelites have purchased the New Testament. The monthly reports have often been deeply interesting, and proved that their labors are not in vain in the Lord. A society of young ladies, during the past year, have supplied clothing to the needy children of the Sabbath school. The two colporteurs, Rittmann and Windolf, exercise an extensive influence. The former has sold 362 bibles and 1,013 testaments, distributed 500 gospels and 33,500 tracts, and has made about 20,000 visits. Among the more than 18,000 emigrants who have sailed from Hamburg, chiefly for the United States, he has distributed 85 bibles, 136 testaments and 9,900 tracts. This brother has also given special attention to the Danish soldiers in Altona, to whom he has given 20 bibles, 240 testaments, 5,450 tracts, and 210 other Christian books. Mr. Windolf has devoted himself chiefly to the thousands of sailors who visit the port of Hamburg every year, coming from every quarter of the globe. He has visited no less than 4,207 ships, and enriched many of them with the compass which points always to Calvary, and the chart which guides to the haven of eternal rest. He has also visited on the land 1,220 families, conducted 64 assemblies in ten different places, sold 489 bibles and 1,925 testaments, and distributed no less than 25,300 tracts. These brethren have performed their work amid sighs and tears, and without doubt they will come with joy, bringing their sheaves with them; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. During the year, the entire number of Scriptures distributed is 81,286, and of tracts 824,229. Tract distribution has been pursued with much zeal in Bremen and Elsfleth. Some of the children in the Sabbath school in Bremen have committed to memory the four gospels entire, and some the whole of the 119th Psalm, as a voluntary exercise. At Varel several persons have been hopefully converted, and seven have been baptized. Tract distribution and religious visiting have been largely employed, and the word of God has been preached freely. The entire results eternity alone can disclose. At Jever also the church has happily advanced. Twelve brethren and sisters with their families left in the tide of emigration for America; but the void was speedily filled by new hearers, pressing in to learn the way of life. Meetings have been numerously attended, both on the Sabbath and on week days; and anxious inquiry prevails at the outstations. The Lord has done great things, particularly in East Friesland, and the labors of the gospel husbandmen have been crowned with a rich reward. At the yearly fair, when the peasants come from a great distance, the opportunity has been embraced to diffuse the word of life. The Sabbath school has enjoyed a rich blessing; it numbers from thirty to forty children, many of whom are seriously impressed. Tract distribution has taken a new start; 8,565 tracts have been given away, and from three to four hundred loan-tracts have been circulated. Six hundred bibles and testaments have been sold. persons have been baptized at Moorhassen. Two In the duchy of Oldenburg, generally, there have been fewer conversions than during some former years; but there is more freedom from persecution here than in any other part of Germany. The corner-stone of the chapel at Barmen was laid under favorable circumstances; and the work is progressing. The churches at Elberfeld and Barmen, and also that at Vollmarstein, are constantly increasing. At Berlin a special blessing has descended on the children, in connection with a course of biblical instruction by Mr. Lehmann. During the first six months of the year, thirty-four were added to the church by baptism. The meetings are well attended, and the religious influence still continues. While the Lord gives these lively stones for the spiritual building, the brethren are comforted under their disappointment in respect to a chapel, which ere this time they had hoped to build. Many losses are suffered by emigration, but the seed of the gospel thus committed to the ready |