guardians and instructors of society, must carry into their pulpit ministrations and daily conversation, a considerable amount of information, not merely in the critical knowledge of the Old and New Testaments and of collateral works, but in the general literature of the days they live in.

But it is, after all, to Dr. Gilly in his public capacity, as the friend of the Vaudois, that we are now bound chiefly to direct the attention of our readers. And here we may confidently say, that few men ever laboured more earnestly in a great and good cause, and with more complete success. Those labours, it is not too much to say, under the Divine blessing, changed the whole face of the Valleys of Piedmont. From these once neglected, but now recognised and honoured recesses of the European commonwealth, there arose, we believe, while he was living, many devout prayers for him, as their self-created friend, teacher, benefactor; and we cannot doubt, that at this moment many, restored, by his labours of love and sacrifice, to liberty of conscience, and to the comforts and privileges of life, are shedding honest tears over the unexpected records of his sudden death. Let his example serve to awaken in every one of us a longing wish to escape from the narrow circle of mere personal and home interests, and to travel through that wider circumference of want, ignorance, suffering, which is occupied by such large portions of the scattered family of God. Wherever there is a human being who needs a Bible or a teacher, may it be felt that we are called, as far as it is possible, to supply their wants. But is this the spirit of the age? Thousands, indeed, are pressing forward to obtain commissions to fight the battles of the Crimea, but few, sadly few, competent soldiers present themselves, as our Missionary informers tell us, to fight the battles of the Cross. If the meaning of the passage in the Epistle to the Corinthians, "baptized from the dead," is that living men are to come forward to fill up the gap made by the deaths of the more advanced ranks of the Christian army; then, as the death of Dr. Gilly has created a most serious gap in the armies of the Cross, may we all press onward to fill it up, and prove ourselves as ready to live and to die in the cause of the Gospel, as the friend over whom we so sincerely mourn!

VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

THERE is little of what is new to be noted in the proceedings of Austria and Prussia during the month. There have been as many rumours almost as days, as to peace, war, and negotiation. But it is evident that Prussia means, if possible, to retain her statu quo; and that Austria is not yet sufficiently assured of the triumph of the Western nations over Russia to venture upon evoking the wrath of the latter. She would, we suppose, be ready enough to "kick the dead lion;" but she will be thoroughly careful first to ascertain that he is dead. In the meantime, France and England seem no longer disposed to bear with her misrule in the Danubian Provinces. The

administration of Austria has always been corrupt in proportion to its distance from home. The disease, like the gout, has chiefly seized on the extremities. And we are inclined to think that this characteristic tendency has especially manifested itself in these Provinces where, by a sort of fatality, she has provoked the hatred of those whom it is her secret hope ultimately to possess and to govern.

Espartero appears to be gradually carrying into action the system of free trade in Spain, of which he has long been known as an advocate. And if so, he is laying, as far as any mere political measures can, the foundation of the future advancement of that noble country, With one of the finest of all climates, a soil in many parts teeming with spontaneous wealth, flocks whose wool might command the markets of the world, a population rather spoiled than indigenously corrupt, Spain has hitherto exhibited all the features of premature and hopeless decay. Her Church has been the chief "origo malorum ;" and, next to this, her mercantile policy, which, by destroying the home market, has paralyzed the energies of her people. The Australian wool is at this moment supplanting the Merino-though it has to be carried half round the globe; simply because Spanish statesmen would not invite other nations to buy by giving them liberty to sell.

We must be supposed to have arrived at the end of the campaign of the year 1855, though it is far from impossible that, even while this paper passes through the press, the Russian commander should make some grand effort to escape from the iron net-work with which we have endeavoured to surround him. But the general state of things is rather a preparation for winter repose, such as armies may enjoy in the face of an enemy, than for summer action. The fleets are wending their way back to French and English ports, and the armies are hutting themselves, and a portion of their horses, in the Crimea. The position of things is such, no doubt, as to prompt deep gratitude for the past, but, we must add, many solemn thoughts as to the future. On the one hand, the Sea of Azoff has been snatched from the enemy; fortresses have been captured, and enormous deposits of grain destroyed. Sebastopol has fallen, and the mouths of the Boug and the Dnieper sealed against the vessels of the enemy. The forces of Russia have also sustained a terrible defeat in Asia; and Kars is relieved. But with all this, deep causes of anxiety remain; inasmuch as it is evident, that in spite of the frequent auguries of the inevitable exhaustion of that vast empire, her powers appear to be little impaired. She has men, money, and war material, for every fresh emergency. Neither does she discover any disposition to yield; and even if the war were this moment to cease, it is impossible to say what terms could be devised likely to give security against fresh developments of her power and ambition. But before even terms of any kind can be negotiated, what rivers of blood will be shed, what sighs and groans will be breathed by desolate mothers, widows, and children! Our language is," Peace to-morrow, if only we can have reasonable security to-morrow."

The King of Sardinia has set out on his visit to France and Eng land, and both countries must rejoice to do him honour. It is easy to fall into a great sweeping tide of well-doing. But to be

"faithful found among the faithless;" to break forth from the abyss of Italian superstition and despotism; to beard the Pope when Aus. tria is truckling to him; to give to his people the rights of man, a free constitution, sound laws, and religious toleration, is the distinction of Victor Emmanuel, and the nations of the earth will not be slow to acknowledge it. It is our sincere hope that he may discover the absolute necessity of Protestantism to the highest order of national greatness, as well as the brightest hopes of immortal spirits.

The Papal achievement of the month has been, by a public manifesto, in the mawkish dialect peculiar to the Pope, to rivet the chains which Austria has wound around her own neck.

How often it happens in the human constitution, that disease, driven from one part of the system, breaks out in another. And thus, in the history of nations, peace in one quarter is no security against war in another. No sooner had India, for example, settled matters with those savage tribes who poured down from the mountains on the plains of Bengal, than the subjects of this vast empire began to quarrel amongst themselves. For a long period the antagonist races of Mahommedans and Hindus have yielded in mute submission to the overwhelming pressure of British supremacy, But long-suppressed antipathies have at length broke forth, and the followers of Bramah and Mahomet have risen to cut each other's throats. It remains to be seen whether the Government are strong enough to master them both.

The persuasion is every day growing stronger, that the blustering of some of the American politicians about Great Britain and her enormities, is a mere electioneering device, intended to secure a good "cry"for the coming contest. Even this is less unsatisfactory than that wise and good men on either side of the Atlantic should tolerate for a moment the idea of a war which could have no parallel except in employing one of our hands to cut off the other.

Australia is as quiet as a State is likely to be which is struggling upwards from infancy to manhood. Her gold, which in the first instance we were afraid of not knowing how to employ, has now become the life's blood of the Western nations. If the precious metals run so low in amount with the aid of the Gold Countries, where should we have been without them?

In looking at the Home incidents of the month, one leading event is the loud response given by the masses of the three kingdoms to the orators of all classes who have addressed them on the subject of the war. The vow is pledged at the national altar to suffer anything rather than abandon the weak to the strong, and permit the wild boar of the desert to ravage the pastures of civilization and free government.

Another feature of the month has been the appearance of some of the chief men of the Commonwealth as public "Lecturers" to their countrymen on some of the leading topics in the government of nations. Lord John Russell has lectured on the Moral causes opposed to the improvement of nations; and Mr. Gladstone, on the Administration of the Colonies. Lord John seems to think that religious toleration is the one all sufficient element of

national greatness. If so, we ought to be the greatest nation in the world. Mr. Gladstone maintains that the one thing essential to Colonies are free Institutions. How does this square with his own perpetual labours to fetter the Colonies with irresponsible Church government, the most absolute of all tyrannies? It is well, however, to have such men so employed; and it must be a wonderful solace to them after the squabbles of the House of Commons. Lord Palmerston is in the circumstances of a gentleman who, having in vain tendered his hand and heart to more than one reluctant lady, has at last succeeded in securing a sufficiently satisfactory bride. He is said to have offered some of the vacant public offices to a variety of persons in vain, but has, at length, succeeded in adding to the Cabinet Mr. Labouchere, Lord Stanley of Alderley, and Mr. Baines, neither of whom will either add very much to his strength or materially take from it. Sounds have been heard in the camp of preparation for a New Parliament; and we cannot doubt that Lord Palmerston would gain, and the Peelites lose much by it. But it is impossible not to deprecate the calling into action any stimulating cause when high prices and diminished work are pressing on the minds of the people. There are times in the history of all people when even a single drop will make the cup of national indignation overflow.

There has been little apparent movement amongst the religious bodies at home. But large questions are pressing on the consciences and thoughts of the earnest servants of God and friends of the species. What is the course which religious men are to pursue as to Maynooth, or Sir Benjamin Hall's new assaults on the Lord's-day, -or as to Education-Church-Rates-the irresponsible authority of the Bishops, often so unsparingly employed in the rejection of Candidates for Orders, as to the mode of dealing with the new forms of error developing themselves on the Oxford horizon? Unhappily, the evils which have sprung up, or have gathered strength during the past year, are not likely to be buried in its grave, but to rise in the year to come, perhaps with renewed vigour, and in worse forms. It is easy, at all events, to see that these are not days for putting off our armour; but rather for clothing ourselves afresh in that Divine panoply, supplied by the Captain of our salvation. Under such circumstances we cannot, for a moment, consent to regard the Subscribers to the "Christian Observer" as mere readers of the book, and at liberty merely to take it up and lay it down, as though they had nothing more to do with it than to approve or to condemn. We must regard them rather as brother soldiers in the war with sin and error. Our Sebastopol is not in ashes. The common enemy is not shorn of his forces or territory,―other heights are to be scaled and " steppes" to be crossed. But the pillar of light goes before us, and we venture to believe that friends, old and new, will rally with us around the same Glorious Banner, under which Truth has fought and conquered in all ages-the Banner of Apostolicism, and of the Reformation.

INDEX

OF THE

ESSAYS, SUBJECTS, INTELLIGENCE, OCCURRENCES.

&c. &c. &c.

ADDRESS delivered to a Clerical Meet Church Dictionary, 401.
ing, 222.

Altars, Stone, 404 M & totalitanoqone to quorganization, 301, 374, 732.
Lights on the, 408.

American diplomacy in Europe, 286.

Anniversary Meetings of Religious Solitud
cieties, 432.

Answers (See Correspondents).

Armenian Church, Pro estant reforma-