REV. W. M. THOMSON, D.D.

THE REV. Wm. M. Thomson, D.D., whose death occurred last year at Denver, Colorado, in the eighty-ninth year of his age, was born at Springdale, Ohio, December 31st, 1806. He entered Princeton Theological Seminary in 1829, but left in 1831 before graduation, and went to Syria as a missionary of the American Board in 1832, arriving at Beyrout February 24th, 1833. He was actively connected with mission work in Syria for a period of forty-three years until 1876, when he left Syria, and after a sojourn in Scotland returned to the United States. Until 1870 he was connected with the American Board. Since that date Dr. Thomson's official connection has been with the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, until his final retirement in 1876. Since his return he published in 1880-86 the enlarged edition of "The Land and the Book," a work which has been of great value and service to all

lovers of the Bible, and with which his name will always be identified.

His father, Rev. John Thomson, and also his mother, were of Scotch-Irish descent, and removed to Ohio from Kentucky when Cincinnati was only a fort.

Dr. Thomson married Miss Eliza Nelson Hanna, of New York, before his departure for Syria. Mrs. Thomson died in 1834. He subsequently married the widow of a former English Consul in Syria, who also died a few years before Dr. Thomson finally left Syria. The circumstances of the death of his first wife were tragical. It happened that soon after his arrival in Beyrout he went in 1834 to Jerusalem. It was at the time of the disturbances incident to a rebellion against the iron rule of Mohammed Ali. Dr. Thomson had occasion to leave Jerusalem for a short journey. During his absence he was arrested and imprisoned by Ibraham Pasha, who could not be made to understand the function of a missionary, but took him for a spy. While Dr. Thomson was thus detained, Ibraham Pasha marched upon Jerusalem, and, taking advantage of an earthquake, assaulted the city and captured it. Mrs. Thomson, with her infant in her arms (now the well-known Dr. William H. Thomson, of New York), took refuge in a vault. A falling stone nearly crushed the babe. Mrs. Thomson soon after became delirious and was found in this state by Dr. Thomson on his return to Jerusalem. She died while still delirious and was buried at Jerusalem.

Dr. Thomson returned to Beyrout, where he resided during most of his missionary life in Syria. He participated in many stirring scenes during the civil wars of 1841, 1845 and 1860. In the war of 1845, through his personal influence and courage, the village of Abeih, filled with refugees, was saved from a massacre. Dr. Thomson was himself shot at while carrying a flag of truce. In the disturbances

of 1860 he co-operated with Lord Dufferin, representing the Allied Powers, in adjusting the difficulties of that delicate situation. He acted as Chairman of the Relief Committee, organized to meet the emergency. He was a tower of strength to the mission amidst the many difficulties and perils of the early heroic period of missionary effort in Syria. He was a man of large and statesmanlike views, calm judgment, undaunted courage, great practical wisdom, and an efficient organizer. He held a position of commanding influence among natives of all classes. One of the leading peculiarities of his missionary life was his kindly spirit towards the natives, and his success in adapting himself to the life of the country, and in winning the affection and confidence of the people. Syria is a field in which pioneer work has always been attended with peculiar difficulties. Dr. Thomson has at different times opened and established stations at new points with remarkable success.

In his private life he was a man of genial and lovely qualities. His missionary aims were large and comprehensive, his devotion to duty untiring, and his religious views were characterized by strength of conviction, liberality, and the best of common sense.

For many years he preached continuously at Beyrout both in Arabic and English. He took a prominent part in organizing the great educational work of Syria, as represented chiefly at the present time by the

Syrian Protestant College, and the fine institutions for the education of girls.

He is known, however, in this country, and even throughout the world, as an author rather than a missionary. It was stated before the Commission of the British Parliament on international copyright that the circulation of "The Land and the Book" in Great Britain had been larger than any other American publication, "Uncle Tom's Cabin " alone excepted. It is characterized by a peculiar charm of style, and a freshness and vividness which gives it special value as a commentary upon the Scriptures. The reader feels as if he were coming into living contact with the scenes and incidents of the Bible, presented with a fidelity and insight which were realistic. His later edition of the book was written with care, in the light of modern discoveries. Dr. Thomson was also a contributor to many periodicals in the same line of vivid and luminous illustration of the Bible.

WESLEYAN METHODIST.

In Calcutta, India, there is the largest increase in membership ever known.

The net connexional increase is full members, 4,253; junior members, 2,196; candidates for the ministry, 126. The increase in the New Zealand Conference amounts to 7,380.

The Methodist May meetings were all of more than ordinary interest. The Rev. John Watson, better known as **Ian Maclaren," preached one of the missionary sermons.

An increase of income of more than $12,500 for the Children's Home is reported. Archdeacon Farrar, with his usual fraternal spirit, gave the use of his church for a special service on behalf of this noble institution.

The ordinary income is $17,970 more than last year, but it is still $8,250 below the expenditure, although there had been retrenchments which exceeded $10,000. The debt of the Society is $152,390. Some forty English and 112 Eurasian women are employed by the Woman's auxiliary.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Foreign Missionary Society at the close of the year reported a deficit of $386,336.

In Washington, D. C., Methodism leads in the number of churches, there being twenty-six.

The Ohio Wesleyan University has in preparation for work, or in the work, seventy missionaries.

The First Church, Chicago, has paid for church extension in that city, in twenty-nine years, $502,800.

One in seven of all the Japanese on the Pacific coast are members or probationers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The Epworth Herald has a circulation of eighty-five thousand copies, the profits of which for the past year amount to $6,000.

There are two Swedish Conferences in the United States and forty thousand church members. There are sixteen Swedish churches in Chicago.

Bishop Thoburn says the largest number of high-caste converts are recorded in those districts where there are the largest number of low-caste converts.

The Bareilly Theological Seminary (India) has sent out 235 regular graduates of a three years' course, and a grand total of 505 who have been trained there.

A presiding elder writes from Colorado: "I have travelled by cars, stages and bicycles since June, 1894, 9,826 miles. That is an average of about 550 miles a week."

The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society has thirteen hospitals and dispensaries, and ministers to about fifty thousand women through its medical

missionaries.

Drew Theological Seminary library contains over five thousand volumes relating to Methodism, also three thousand pamphlets and many unpublished manuscripts. The entire library contains 31,770 vol

umes.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH.

The Methodist Review (quarterly), under the editorship of the Rev. Dr. Tigert, registered an increase of 1,200 subscribers since September.

METHODIST NEW CONNEXION.

Several circuit meetings in aid of the Centenary Fund have been held, at which large sums have been subscribed.

PRIMITIVE Methodist.

The South Australian Conference has voted emphatically in favour of Methodist union on the basis agreed to by the Wesleyan and other Churches in the colony.

The venerable Thomas Bateman, a member of the Deed Poll, is ninety-five years of age, and often preaches on special occasions. He was a close friend of the founders of the Connexion, and for many years was a leading debater in the Conference. The present writer heard him preach fifty-four years ago.

BIBLE CHRISTIAN.

Evangelistic services have been very successful in Exeter district. In some instances as many as fifty persons professed conversion.

THE METHODIST CHURCH.

The New York Adrocate declares that Dr. Dewart composed the best short poem elicited by the death of Tennyson.

Mr. H. A. Massey has given $1,000 to the Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn. He also endowed a bed by a gift of $5,000.

At the Coqualeetza Institute, Chilliwhack, there are now eighty-two children. One of the boys wants to be a missionary.

The Michael Fawcett prize on Methodist hymnology was won by Mr. H. B. Christie, a student from Guelph Confer

ence.

The baccalaureate sermon by Chancellor Burwash, at the convocation exercises of Victoria University, was one of his best efforts.

The degree of D.D. was conferred upon Rev. H. J. Pope, ex-president of the Wesleyan Conference; Revs. Prof. Wallace, John Potts, and Osborne R. Lambly.

The Rev. A. C. Crews has been appointed Sunday-school and Epworth League Secretary. He is eminently fitted for the position-one of unique influence, not surpassed in power for good by that of any officer of the Church.

The Wesleyan Theological College at Montreal has had a successful year. The Endowment Fund has reached $70,000. The annual sermon was preached by Rev. A. Sutherland, D.D., and long to be remembered." The following received the degree of D.D., Rev. I. Tovell, Hamilton; J. Scott, M. A., Berlin.

"was

one

The missionary spirit is evidently alive among the students at our colleges. More than sixty hold themselves in readiness to engage in mission work. What a tre

mendous responsibility rests upon those who possess the means to replenish the treasury whereby the young brethren could be sent forth to reap a grand harvest for Christ.

The Deaconess Association of Toronto Conference was at first regarded by many as unnecessary, but these prejudices have been greatly weakened, if they are not wholly extinct. During the past year the services of the ladies have been in great requisition. Their visits to the abodes of the sick and dying have been greatly appreciated.

The sorrow of thousands was turned into joy when news reached the Mission Rooms that the missionary vessel Glad Tidings, which had been so long missing, was not lost, but had become disabled and therefore detained, while on her voyage to Victoria, British Columbia. All on board, including nine missionaries, had reached their destination in safety.

The Missionary Executive have had considerable anxiety respecting the mission in Japan, which has occasioned a great amount of correspondence with the inissionaries. Rev. F. A. Cassidy who has done good service in that field, thought that he had been injured by the course adopted, but the Executive assures him that no injury has been inflicted upon him; his character and ministerial status are blameless. An answer has been sent to the communication from the missionaries who had intended to resign, and hopes are now entertained that harmony will be restored, and the work will again be prosperous.

The Book-Room at Toronto has done a large volume of business during the past year, notwithstanding the general depression which is felt everywhere. There was a large increase in the number of subscribers to the Guardian, but as the price had been reduced to one dollar the income was below last year. The other publications more than held their own, so that a grant of $7,500 was made to the Superannuated Ministers' Fund, a larger amount than was ever given in any previous year.

A very appropriate resolution was adopted acknowledging the services of Dr. Dewart as Editor for twenty-six years. All the members of the Book Committee expressed their hope that the Doctor would enjoy himself in his visit to the Methodist Conferences of the Old World. He will be followed by the earnest prayers and best wishes of thousands.

ITEMS.

Sixty-five Protestant missionary societies are at work in India. There are 560,000 native Protestants-an increase of 150,000 in a decade.

During the late Japan-Chinese war, the Bible Society has distributed, through its agency in Japan, thirty thousand copies of the Gospels among Japanese soldiers and sailors.

The converts in the Samoan islands have given as much as $9,000 in one year to the work of missions. The Fijian Christians contributed $5,000 a year to the same cause, and the Church in the Friendly Islands numbers 30,000 and gives $15,000 a year.

Dr. A. T. Pierson says: "In 1866, when I was first in Europe, I could not carry a copy of the Bible inside the walls of Rome. Last year (1893) there were twenty-nine Protestant chapels in the city of Rome and preaching openly carried on in them with impunity."

In Japan there 226 male and 210 unmarried female missionaries (including wives), a total of 625; there are 134 stations, 750 out-stations, 364 organized churches, 3,422 adults baptized in 1894, total adult membership 39,240: theological students 353; native ministers 258; contributions of native Christians (1894) about $35,000.

The revered authoress, "A. L. O. E.,” who went to India as a missionary and died in December 1893, was buried at her own request without a coffin. The funeral of the Rev. F. Sandford, of the Delhi Mission, cost only about five shillings, and so in many places missionaries are striving to dispossess the minds of converts of the notion that a Christian's funeral ought to cost a quarter's income, which it often has done.

At the great examination held at Wuchang last year twelve thousand literary candidates competed. The Central China Religious Tract Society gave a package of books and tracts to each candidate before he left the examination hall. Only a few refused them. At Nanking no less than

forty-five thousand Christian books, or tracts, or portions of the Scriptures, were likewise given to a still larger number of literary candidates, and most of them were accepted.

RECENT DEATHS.

Rev. W. Hall, M. A., of Montreal Conference, finished his earthly course early in May, under very painful circumstances. For several years he was afflicted with intense mental depression. During one of those seasons he committed the fatal deed which cast a gloom not only over his own family, but over thousands by whom he was beloved as a singularly saintly man. Few men displayed more of the spirit of meekness. He was a most perfect Christian gentleman. Never robust physically, he occasionally travelled abroad for the benefit of his health. For the last eight years he resided in his native city, first as a pastor and then as principal of the French Institute.

The Rev. James C. Slater was a superannuated minister and a member of To

ronto Conference. He closed his eyes in death May 15, 1895. For forty-nine years his name occupied a place on the ministerial roll, though for the last thirteen years he had been a cripple from inflammatory rheumatism. Occasionally

he was wheeled into Sherbourne Street church in an invalid's chair, when he always greatly enjoyed the services. Mr. Slater was a minister in the third generation, his father and grandfather both having served the Church in the same capacity. He had the advantage of being a pupil at Kingswood School, England. We next find him an apprentice to the firm of Samuel Budgett, "the Successful Merchant." His early training made him an expert in financial matters. affliction was endured with great patience and resignation. Those who visited him felt assured that he was ripening for heaven. The writer of these lines was a neighbour of Mr. Slater's for two years, and delights to record his tribute of praise to the memory of his sainted friend."

His