matters, that he might make the most of his stay in Montpellier. Anticipating opposition from certain quarters, he had written to Dr. Malan not to come until after Easter Day, because, the pulpit being then his, he would have no difficulty in letting him preach. But it pleased the Lord to direct the whole affair after his own wisdom; and although Dr. Malan arrived before that time, he preached in Montpellier twenty-one times; viz., nine times in the temple, and twelve times in Mr. Lissignol's Oratoire. Here it may be proper to mention that we call generally Oratoires places of worship open to the public upon an independent principle, and supported either by societies or private individuals. Mr. Lissignol had such an Oratoire in the upper part of his own house, capable of accommodating about a hundred people. There Dr. Malan preached chiefly upon subjects connected with the grand doctrines of the grace of God, and the attendance soon became very numerous; not only was the Oratoire itself filled, but every adjacent corner, and the very stairs down to the street-door were crowded with hearers. These consisted of every class of society, but chiefly of the higher orders, and among them many who had never before been known to attend any similar meeting. One of the pastors refused the temple pulpit; but as the others willingly granted it, Dr. Malan took that as a call of God to remain in Montpellier longer than he had intended. He complied with the wishes expressed to that effect, and undertook a more methodical course of preaching upon the whole scheme of gospel salvation. He exposed the whole subject carefully, beginning with the use of the law in convincing man of his sins, and went on successively explaining salvation by the blood of Christ, peace through reconciliation, sanctification as a fruit of the spirit of adoption, and glory as the Christian's hope.

"At Toulouse, Dr. Malan met our dear friends, pastor Chabrand, and the three brothers Courtois, who were happy to procure him every desirable facility for his missionary labours. He preached twice on the day of his arrival ; first in the temple, and then at Mr. Chabrand's own house. He preached again the next day at an extraordinary service in the temple; and on every succeeding evening at Messrs. Courtois' Oratoire. In this town there was, thank God, no opposition. Toulouse is an important place; and will prove, it is hoped, one of the radiant centres of Gospel light in the midst of thick surrounding darkness. Some of the brethren there are animated with a most exemplary zeal.

“Dr. Malan was desired, while at Toulouse, to go some distance into the south country, as far as Foix (Arriège,) in order to visit a Roman Catholic priest who had lately renounced his situation as a curate, and separated from the Romish communion. The route lay through Saverdun, where we have a numerous Protestant congregation. Dr. M. preached twice to them from Be ye followers of God;' and thence went on to Foix, where he arrived at four o'clock in the afternoon. This place having no Protestants, there was nothing to be done immediately; Dr. M. dispatched a message to Mr. Maurette, the above-mentioned gentleman at Serres, two hours from the town, begging him to come immediately and meet him at Foix. With this request he very readily complied, and arrived about eight o'clock the same evening.

"The Abbé Maurette is a middle-aged man, of an honest and upright disposition, enjoying in the country around him (where he exercised, for many years, the calling of a Romish priest) a blameless character. His scruples were first excited several years ago, by the abuses and corruptions of his church, chiefly as to practice; for he does not appear to have been, from the first, equally awake to doctrinal distortions. The work, however, went on in silence, till he found it at last impossible to remain any longer bowed under a yoke which his conscience would not suffer him to break; and about a year ago he took a decisive step, sending in his resignation to his bishop, with an account of his motives. M. Maurette had conversed, at different times, with Protestant clergymen and other pious persons; and such conversations had undoubtedly been useful. But at the time of Dr. Malan's visit, he was still deficient in the knowledge of the Scriptures, that only engine for the pulling down of Rome's strong-holds, and for his own soul he enjoyed neither liberty nor peace. Our friend spoke with him at length on those subjects, and gave him all the advice he saw him stand in need of. They quitted him with a hope that the interview had not been without some blessed influence. Two or three letters, received from M. Maurette, after this period, appear to confirm this. "Along with M. Maurette, a certain number of his former parishioners quitted the Romish Church. Others remained, and thus the population is divided in opinion, there being altogether rather a strong impression against Popery in and about Serres. The interesting affair was taken in hand by the Protestant Church and Consistoire d'Azil, not far distant from Serres; and a young minister, one of

the pupils of the Theological School of Geneva, is at present going to that place, in order to supply its spiritual wants and look after the sheep of his Master.

"Dr. M. almost immediately left Toulouse, after preaching again. The last sermon he gave in that place was the one hundredth on that journey since his departure from Geneva.

"I shall here insert one of those interesting little facts with which Dr. Malan's journey is studded, so adapted to shew what high qualifications he possesses for carrying on missionary labour in a country like France, where perhaps much of the proverbial giddiness depends upon that vividness of impressions, which, if well managed, leads to a conclusion in momentous matters, in a shorter time than is to be done with a graver people. At starting, Dr. M. was accompanied to the coachoffice by several friends; being a little before the hour, they conversed for a few moments; then our friend stepped into the coach and arranged himself for the journey. A gentleman went in after him, and all seemed ready for starting. By and by came the clerk of the office, who called over the names inscribed, concluding his call by saying: A passenger is wanting.' The hour has not yet struck,' cried the gentleman, as he arrived, panting for breath. I would not like,' replied the clerk, having been hanged since it struck.' 'Well, take this!' cried Dr. Malan, stretching to him out of the window a tract, the Epiglané, it will keep you from being hanged at any time!' 'Say you so? and what if I commit some great crime worth hanging?' 'Oh! but it will keep you from doing that!' and off went the coach. Now the fellow-traveller, it appears, was struck with this flying dialogue, and very politely inquired if he might not himself have one of those little tracts, which he understood were of a religious nature. One was immediately handed to him, and receiving it, he begged to know what religion it belonged to. 'To that of Christ,' said Dr. Malan, simply. Upon this the gentleman became very solemn, slowly repeating, while tears stood trembling in his eyes: That of Christ but alas! that time is gone !'-It is needless to say, no better opportunity could be offered for the preaching of the Gospel, than that of a poor sinner whose chief objection to Christianity was his having sinned too grievously to expect forgiveness. But the Lord had appointed that day for the relief of that poor, miserble soul. The conversation was long and full of interest. The gentleman promised he would thenceforth read the Bible regularly in his family and, at parting, received with marked gratitude a copy of the French translation of Fisher's Catechism.'

"Thus Dr. Malan arrived in Montauban, a town peculiarly interesting, from its being the seat of the Theologicul Seminary (or Faculty,' as it is called,) from which most of the Protestant churches in the Southern half of France (and many in the North also) are supplied with pastors. On that account, from the first moment, Dr. Malan endeavoured to see the young men as much as possible, and for this they gave him themselves every facility. Upon hearing of his arrival, they requested him to come and conduct the exercises of their little meeting, which he did on the same evening, at seven. It consisted of about twenty students, including the most pious of their number. He chose as a subject of exposition, the faithfulness of the Rechabites. On the following day, Dr. Malan preached, before noon, in the temple of the Theological Faculty, and after noon at the great temple. During the three days of his stay, the evenings were spent in a meeting with the Divinity students, at the house of Professor Monod, who with great affection did all in his power to forward the accomplishment of our friend's purpose.

"After a short but laborious stay, Dr. M. quitted Montauban for Bordeaux, going through Agen, where he did not intend to stay. I shall again quote here a portion of one of his letters.

"I set off from Montauban on Thursday the 22nd, in the afternoon, and the Lord in his mercy entered the carriage with me. In the coupé, sitting next to me,was a lady of genteel and pleasant looks, though with a tinge of sadness on her countenance. For a while I was engaged with a book. I was perusing that fine and firm preface of the Servum Arbitrium of Luther's, written against Erasmus. My reading being over, I felt it my duty to try something for the good of that soul, for a time placed near me by the hand of God; and turning to the lady, I asked her, Whether she was travelling in the same direction with me?' I am going,' said she, as far as such a place. It is true,' resumed I, ' that we are both travelling in the same coach, and for both of us it hastens to the same end of our present journey. But my question is of a more interior nature; and I mean to inquire at present, whether our souls are both travelling to the same place of rest? My own is, I know, going to heaven; and willingly should I learn that yours partakes of the same happiness.' This was the beginning of a most interesting conversation,

wherein the lady informed me she was returning from an ineffectual attempt to bring back from a nunnery her eldest daughter. This young lady had been visiting her younger sister, then in the nunnery, and at length had herself determined never to come out of it again. With many sighs she told her tale of sorrow. 'My children have forsaken me,' cried she, while the tears were fast flowing from her eyes, but, perhaps, my harrowing grief may be accounted to me as meritorious before God!' I hastened, with some success, I hope, to dispel Romish darkness before the bright sun of the Gospel. I then prayed aloud for her and her children ; and when I parted with that poor soul, afflicted and tossed about,' she told me, Henceforth, I will pray to God, as you have done, calling him my Father, and I believe he will hear me, for his mercy's sake, in Christ Jesus.'

"Dr. M. arrived at Agen at half-past one in the morning, and had to wait for the steam-boat starting at about four o'clock. He gave a tract to one of the officemen; another person asked for one, and then a third. He thus distributed to all that wanted them, and in a short time most of them were reading. He went into a sort of coffee-house to write a letter; after which, seeing some women engaged in reading the tracts, he inquired of them if they understood what they were reading. He began to explain the doctrine of the cross, and gradually, either from interest or curiosity, most of the people about the place crowded around him, listening. It appears that amongst his hearers happened to be some of the pope's friends, who did not much relish the treat; for soon after this, appeared in The Guienne,' a newspaper devoted to the interests of the priests, an account of this occurrence, drawn up in their own way; in which the writer vented his ire, described Dr. Malan as an elderly gentleman, talking to people about religion whether they would or not, 'giving himself out for a bishop,' in his manner partaking of the dragoon and the good-fellow, &c. The words of the wise are as goads,' by them some will be pushed onwards, and at them others will kick.

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They now set off with the steamer. 'On that boat,' writes Dr. Malan, 'a sorry thing, narrow and but ill in order, I sat writing in the cabin, beside a decorated gentleman, who was dictating to his secretary; when, on a sudden, we felt a violent shock, a dreadful crash was heard, and dismay was stamped on every countenance. In passing under a bridge, the funnel had struck; it was hurled upon the deck, and in a moment we came to a full stop. It took us a good while before we could resume our course. 'Sir, you appeared to take that affair of the funnel very coolly,' told me afterward the gentleman with the red ribbon; Still there was some likelihood of its being all over with us.' 'So also I supposed,' answered I. 'And yet you could remain so unmoved? Ah Sir, what a reason is yours!' 'Say rather, I pray, What faith. For upon such occasions reason is but a sad counsellor. But faith, thanks be to God, gives the peace of the Lord.' He stared at me in utter astonishment, and, without adding a word, resumed his business. But later in the same day that gentleman (who is the Marquis d'O-) came up to me, as I was standing on deck, and earnestly begged for explanations on the subject of that faith I had been speaking of. I conducted the conversation, held in plain language, according to the simple Word of Mercy. He received with gratitude the volume about the Romish Church ('Can I enter,' &c.,) above mentioned, and appeared to listen with deep seriousness to what I told him concerning the righteousness of God. We parted very affectionately. Perhaps the funnel's fall' was the means appointed in the counsel of God's love, to bring a soul to the light of the Saviour; at least I cherish that hope, seeing that the Word was received with great meekness.'

"Dr. Malan spent in Bordeaux eleven days, visited and conversed abundantly, and preached fifteen times at the Oratoire and in private places. As to preaching in the temples, he was told by two of the pastors he could not be admitted to the pulpit, because they did not believe Predestination, and did not want him to preach it. And so it was. Many came, however, to hear him, both Protestants, Romanists, and Jews. It is impossible, considering the variety of the Lord's ways with his people, to give any approximate account of the effects of Gospel preaching upon such motley audiences. It happened, as in most places, several, already in the faith, were introduced into that state of adoption, wherein by the Spirit we cry Abba, Father;' others were snatched from Romanism. Most of those appear steadfast. Out of the first class, I can mention a gentleman, who, having translated into French a book on a religious subject, but of a dangerous tendency, upon this being shown to him, destroyed every copy that remained unsold, notwithstanding his position in life made it a heavy loss. Among the others, we notice an ironmonger, who was called upon by Dr. Malan to procure a hammer, required in his daughter's house. This visit made such an impression on him, that from that day, with his wife and six children, he left off going to mass, and became one of the most regular hearers in the Oratoire. But some, alas! CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 60. 4 Y

seeing the light dawn before their eyes, and setting about counting the cost, loved this world more than that which is to come, and fell back from the fear they should be obliged to yield in the contest. Thus, one of them, a Jew, after hearing a sermon on the evidences of the Divine mission of the Lord Jesus, was heard to say: Were I not detained by my regard for my relatives, I might yet do more than I did in attending that meeting!' but after a second sermon, he withdrew, saying: I will hear that man no more, for every word of his commands belief.' Such language shows,' Dr. Malan remarks, that the Word was not preached in vain; and although they will struggle at present, the Lord is mighty to carry on, in his mercy, the work commenced by his law.'

"Dr. Malan's journey had been from the first intended to reach as far as Saintonge, and eventually Poitou. But having spent, in the first part of his route, a much longer time than was anticipated, and being, moreover, exceedingly fatigued with constant exertion, he now longed to return home, judging it more advisable to send a fresh man to explore the religious state of that country. The committee in Geneva, however, both on account of his proximity to that quarter, and the difficulty of finding another man fitted for the purpose, urged him to the prosecution of the first plan. Cheered with the blessing of God and the voice of his brethren, he readily complied with our entreaties, and, at the beginning of May, entered upon this new portion of his journey.

"Saintonge is one of the parts of France where the Protestant church has been most reduced by persecution. And, indeed, it were happy had persecution been its only enemy. But want of doctrine in its teachers, and a corresponding laxity in the community, but too effectually, at a former period, seconded the efforts of the rival church. Very little remains, amidst the children, of the true and far-famed faith of their ancestors; and many are now slumbering in indifference on the treacherous bosom of that church which their fathers renounced at the risk of property and life, in order to save their souls. But is not, on that very account, both what remains and what has fallen away, the more worthy of our sympathies and pity? Is there not still a blessing in the cluster, for the sake of which we ought to work and pray?

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Royan, at the mouth of the Gironde, was the first place visited, and two days were employed in preaching in the temple, teaching in the schools, and conversing in families. This is but a small fishing town, but the Protestants are in good number. There is one pastor, by whom our friend was very well received, as he was generally by all the pastors in this country, with whom he held a very active intercourse. Many of them, however, as in other parts, do not adhere to the whole of the doctrine, by the power of which the Reformation was effected. Yet there is zeal amongst them; but their exertions, in most instances, succeed only in exciting good dispositions for the kingdom of God, and a wish to enquire into the subject of salvation. They fail in planting souls steadfastly in the truth, and giving them the strong meat of the full-grown man. It was, then, a constant object with our friend, to encourage them, by example and word, in the preaching of the whole counsel of the Lord, as it humbles the heart and pride of man, and gives glory to God alone. And this only can be for the future, as it nearly proved once, the freeing of France from the Egyptian thraldom of Popery. You will understand, dear brethren, my recurring so often to this subject, upon reflecting that the question properly in debate, is here to know, whether salvation is a free gift of God entirely, or is a gift only in part, God doing one portion of the work, and man the other; which last comes to the same as to say, the most important part of the work is done by man, since such it is only, undoubtedly for him, if we admit that without his own cooperation God can do nothing effectual to save him. The first view of the subject is the Gospel of our blessed Reformers, the second, that of Rome; whence, every Protestant creed that leans to that side, leans to Popery for the same reason, and is too much akin to it in the main, to possess any paramount strength in encountering it. Thus, if purity on that point of doctrine is at all times of great moment, it is of the utmost consequence when that masterpiece of Satan's cunning is to be levelled to the ground. Without it, nothing can be achieved.

"From Royan, Dr. Malan went to La Tremblade, where he preached five times in two days. In one of his walks about this place, he was, as he hopes, successful in recalling to the Protestant faith a woman who had joined the Romish church because her husband belonged to it.

Marennes and the Isle of Oleran were then successively visited, and the time spent, as usual, in preaching to the flocks and conversing with the pastors. Concerning the last-mentioned place, I insert the following interesting occurrence: "I was detained from twelve to six o'clock, P.M., waiting for the tide. I first distributed some tracts; then one of the pastors who were with me desired me to

speak to the convicts (galériens), who are here working at the fortifications. One of them, a Romanist by birth, had already received instructions in the truth, and discovered the errors of Rome; but he was not converted. His first answer to my enquiries was, that for some months he had not done as much evil as formerly, &c. But upon my asking him whether sin consisted in the measure or in the nature of our actions, he began to understand that, although less abandoned than before, he was, nevertheless, a sinner, and a condemned man. The Word explained to him produced, first, the humility of conviction, and then the joy of forgiveness. Seldom have I heard an expression of peace and trust in God, so strong and so intelligent as that which flowed from this poor man's heart. I spent two most happy hours in converse with this disciple, and quitted him with thanksgivings, to repair to the port.'

"Here another man, one of the guards of the Customs, appeared also to receive the Gospel, and promised to visit the convict, already known to him, by having sometimes lent him his Bible.

"The return was to Marennes, where Dr. Malan preached again on the same evening, and the next day in a neighbouring church. Before his departure, he received a visit from the consistory of Marennes, who came in a body to express their grateful acknowledgements of his labours in their church. He left for La Rochelle. Here, again, I translate:

"How mournful this place for a faithful soul! La Rochelle !-that stronghold of Protestantism-that asylum of truth-that illustrious city, over which shone, like a bright star, the most pure and energetic Confession of Faith,—is dead, or nearly so! One faithful minister, it is true, lives and labours here. But opposed to him is his own colleague, a brazen-faced infidel-who, from the pulpit, preaches and storms against the Deity of Christ, against original sin, against atonement by the blood of the cross; who blushes not to say: The death of Christ was the complement of man's virtue; what was wanting in them, the Redeemer made up,' &c. And that incessant struggling blunts, as it were, the testimony of the minister of God, who, in many things, also is crossed by a consistory as godless as its leader. Such is La Rochelle, now the seat of irreligion, worldliness, and vanity, carried to madness.'

"From this picture, it is easy to understand, that, in such a place, but little was to be expected from the transitory appearance of a preacher. Dr. M. did, of course, all in his power, and not without some blessing and joy. The few well-disposed souls made the most of his presence, and he had opportunities to preach and to converse with many individuals. But La Rochelle requires much more than he could accomplish.

"Dr. Malan, seeing that his absence had now been protracted to nearly four months, bent his steps homewards; returning to Bordeaux through the inland part of Saintonge, and stopped by the way at Saintes and Pons. In each of those places he preached, as indeed in every one of his halting places in that country; being universally admitted to the pulpits. This last part of his journey was still more abundant in joy for himself, than any former portion. But the very personal nature of many of the occurrences, does not allow of their being communicated in a minute account. Let it be enough to say, that many blessed the Lord, in their hearts, for having sent his servant to them; and he returned to Bordeaux, rejoicing at the work his Master had been pleased to perform through his instrumentality.

"In Bordeaux, Dr. Malan concluded his Missionary tour, having preached, in all, one hundred and fifty-four times, besides numberless conversations, and an abundant distribution of tracts and books. Shortly after, we had the pleasure to welcome him back to Geneva, where he arrived quite overcome with fatigue; and indeed he has not fully recovered his health since that time."

ON THE DEDICATION OF ST. CROSS CHURCH AT LEEDS.
For the Christian Observer.

IN our Number for October, p. 640, we wrote as follows :

"An extraordinary scene has been exhibited by some clergymen at Leeds, in laying the foundation of what they are pleased to call St. Cross' church. The day chosen for the ceremony was the day called in the Popish calendar Holy Cross day,' and which had its origin in one of the most profligate fabrications and gross