throughout the land. Surely this is a favourable sign-for if humility be the soil in which Christian love flourishes, may we not hope that this lowly spirit, if earnest prayer be made, will lead to a fervent desire that every separating cause may be removed, and that all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, may as His Disciples of old, “be knit together in love," and brotherly union. Oh! that it may be thus, that He "who devises means, that his banished ones be not expelled from Him,” † would yet so unite the two Churches, that they might, like Ephraim and Judah, be "as one stick in the Hand of the Lord."

In our sister land also more pleasing prospects appear. Those "Monster Meetings," as they have been termed, which last year distracted the country, are now no more; and by the blessing of God, upon the Society for educating the native Irish in their own language, and other Religious Institutions, a deep impression has lately been made in several places, and a great desire produced for the Holy Scriptures, and for the faithful preaching of the Gospel of Christ.

The cause of God's ancient people also is assuming a more interesting state. The influx of the Jews into the Holy Land has been very great of late. There is no more room in Jerusalem for them, and they have already spread over a part of the Turkish quarter. The numbers of enquirers after the truth are increasing. Some have been publicly baptized under

* See the published Reports of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, in May and August, 1844.

+ 2 Sam. xiv. 14.

+ Ezek. xxxvii. 19.

|| See their Report, particularly that of the Irish Society for 1844.

most trying circumstances; permission also has been given to erect our Protestant Church in Jerusalem; the building of which will be again resumed. Added to these tokens of God's returning favour to his people, the Sultan has issued a decree, withdrawing in some cases the punishment of death from those who renounce Mahomedanism, thus abrogating to that extent the laws of their Prophet, and this in the 1260th year of the Hegira!

Such are the circumstances with which the new year approaches.

Do not these favourable tokens afford powerful reasons for our again uniting in fervent prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and for doing this under a sense of our own manifold short-comings, with humble confession of our sins, and with earnest supplication, that nothing may separate between God and us; but that having all our sins put away through "the blood of the Lamb," and our souls clothed with his perfect righteousness, we may " draw near to the Throne of Grace with a true Heart, in full assurance of Faith," remembering that the Lord has said "open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." "Ask what thou wilt, and it shall be done unto thee."

Allow me then to renew my annual invitation, and to request all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, to commence THE NEW YEAR, by uniting in THE

GENERAL CONCERT FOR PRAYER FOR THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, ON WEDNESDAY, 1st OF JANUARY, 1845.

The following suggestions are respectfully offered, to assist those who are desirous of a similar union : 1st. Let Christians follow the example of our

blessed Lord, (Mark i. 25) who rose up a great while before day for secret prayer. Let them thus secure the blessing of Him who says, "Pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

2nd. Let them call upon the Lord in their families, for his Spirit to be poured upon themselves and their households, their neighbours, their country, including Great Britain and Ireland and our Colonies, the ministers of the Lord, the churches of Christ, the remnant of scattered Judah and outcast Israel, and upon the Gentile world.

3rd. Where circumstances will admit of a morning service, let the congregation be assembled, and, in addition to the appointed prayers and a suitable sermon, let all who are devoutly disposed partake together of the Supper of the Lord-or, as may be more convenient, let the whole congregation meet in the evening for public worship, and let an appropriate discourse be preached.

4th. Let the Ministers of the Lord meet on the following day, with their brethren of their own communion, in earnest prayer for themselves, their flocks, the whole body of Christ, and the world at large; and then especially consult together upon the most effectual means for hastening the coming of the Lord's kingdom, and particularly for the continuance of such a general concert for prayer, that the year may proceed according to this devout commencement.

May the Lord accompany these means of grace, or such others as may be adopted, with his abundant blessing! Oh! may it indeed be a season of special refreshment from the presence of the Lord!

Let this be the prayer of all who read this paper; and as the new year is now approaching, it would be a great kindness if those who approve the object, and have influence over the press, would republish and circulate this invitation, which any one, into whose hands it may fall, HAS FULL PERMISSION TO do. Peace be with all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity!

Thus prays

their affectionate Brother,

And Servant in the Lord,
JAMES HALDANE STEWART.

St. Bride's, Liverpool.

LENDING LIBRARIES.

MY DEAR MADAM,

As I am persuaded that the sole object of your excellent Magazine is to promote the glory of God, in the extension of his kingdom; I cannot but suppose that this principle rules also in the hearts of your readers; and therefore, I am anxious, through the medium of your pages, to encourage them in works of love.

The particular object I have in view, is to promote the circulation of books and tracts among the middle and lower orders, by means of Lending Libraries, where they do not already exist. I will first state our little experience for the encouragement of others.

About seven years ago, we began with a small number of books, and tracts stitched together in covers, which were carried through a circuit of several miles, by an individual of independent means, in the middle class of life, and whose zeal for God, and strength of body, enabled her to devote herself to the work. She called at isolated farms, and walked through retired hamlets, knocking at the doors of lonely cottages, everywhere leaving her books, which she regularly exchanged every month, the readers for the most part, not knowing whence she came or whither she went.

At first she met not unfrequently with indifference,