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victories have lately been won in the political arena in provincial and city elections. During this year there has been in all departments of the Church a revival of activity such as has not been seen for a quarter of a century. But activity on the part of the papacy always means retrogression. It means a return to the past ignorance and superstition, and the substitution of the Dark Ages for the light and liberty of the present century.

Hence we have witnessed scenes in Italy this year such as we read of as having occurred before the dawn of the Reformation. Unfortunately the present weak cabinet, whose intent seems to be to retain power rather than administer the government in the interest of the people, has winked at many things which three years ago, when a strong hand held the helm, would not have been tolerated.

Let me give a few illustrations of this revival in Romanism, of things that have actually occurred within the last few months.

Just outside the city of Venosa there is a church dedicated to the Trinity. It is on the site of an old heathen temple. Last month, as occurs every year, there were special ceremonies and festivities on the day set apart in the calendar to the Trinity. On the day preceding thousands of pilgrims came from the surrounding hills and villages, dressed in their picturesque costumes, with bare feet, and with staff and rosary in hand. At the door of the church they prostrated themselves on the ground, and from the door to the high altar crept on their hands and knees, dragging their tongues on the ground, and frequently beating themselves on the breast with blows that must have caused them severe pain. Arriving at the altar, if sufficient strength remained, they repeated prayers to the Sacred Trinity (which to their minds meant some saint), to St. Michael the Archangel, and to St. Anthony.

During the night the promiscuous crowd of men, women, and children, slept out-side the church in the open air. The next day was Sunday, and from early dawn till midday the poor ignorant people went through the same performance as on the preced-ing day. They howled, they cried, they beat themselves, and they dragged their tongues on the ground until their mouths were full of blood and the pavement was red from the door to the altar.

Having by these acts acquired much indulgence, the night following was given up to orgies of every description, and the saints of the morning became beasts at night. This, however, is the ordinary way of finishing up the festival of a patron saint, as in the old pagan days.

This year in many parts of Italy there has been a long drought, and it seemed for a time that the crops must be a failure. During this time the people have cursed God and prayed to their patron saints. These patron saints have been invoked and entreated with rich gifts, processions, illuminations, concerts, and the firing of guns, but they did not awake to their duty. How often one has thought of Elijah and Mount Carmel, where the followers of Baal, after they were tired of praying, adopted other means more energetic!

At Palermo the god of rain is St. Patri, or St. Francis da Paola. This year, however, he disappointed all his devotees, because in spite of all their prayers and good works he did not send the desired rain. They took his image out in the field and left it there among the parched vegetables in order that he might be persuaded of the need of rain. They threatened to leave him there in solitude until he should grant their request. All was in vain. The people, however, said it cannot be that our old saint has forsaken us. He probably intends to help us in another way, and instead of sending us rain he will give us money. They therefore chose a number (ninety-one) in the public lottery to represent a procession in honor of this saint. The num

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ber (drawn by thousands) wins, and the reputation of the saint is saved. All night long the city was in an uproar, so great was the joy of the people and so loud their praises.

While most of the farmers were in desperation because of the long drought, one near Salerno last month hit upon a happy way of making money. He spread the news that his little boy, seven years old, had had a dream. The Madonna appeared to him, saying that she would send rain if the people would unearth an image of herself buried for many centuries in one of his father's fields. The news soon spread abroad, and the poor, superstitious country people came in crowds from all over the province, ready to dig for the sacred image. After several days of continued labor they found two pagan tombs and a few vases. It is very common in these parts to find such buried tombs. The sight of these things encouraged the poor people to dig with more enthusiasm. Then a priest appeared on the scene bringing to the sacred place an image for which he constructed a shed, and began to celebrate mass and incite the people to work. Finally they came upon three small rooms of antique construction, and in one they found a piece of tufa of irregular shape which some declared to be the Madonna della Neve (of the snow). The people cried out a miracle, and the news spread through all the country around. In four days nearly two hundred thousand people arrived at the place to adore the sacred image, bringing offerings in money to the amount of two thousand dollars, and eleven pounds of gold in jewelry.

In one of these processions carried on with the hope of bringing the rain a very ridiculous incident occurred. It was at Ferrara, the home of Savonarola. The superstitious papists had paraded the streets, carrying their sacred images and pictures and mumbling their prayers, but all to no purpose. It then occurred to those who ridiculed these doings to organize a counter procession. They marched through the town with bands of music, flags, and a life-sized picture of Garibaldi. Hardly had they returned to their homes when the rain came. The conclusion: Garibaldi is greater than all the saints. He can work a miracle when they cannot. What else can we expect but infidelity in the face of such facts?

It is perfectly natural that in the wake of such superstition persecution should follow wherever it might be permitted. At Rapolla we had a flourishing little Sunday school of about fifty children, as happy a little group as I have ever seen. We also had a day school for the two higher elementary classes. In this there were sixteen bright boys. The school-teacher, being a local preacher, held meetings in the evening to teach the people the word of God.

It was a wonder that this little work was allowed to continue so long in peace. During Lent, however, the storm came. A Romish preacher was sent there who hurled his invectives against Protestants, and threats against all who should have anything to do with them. His word was supported by the organized efforts of the parish priest, the village doctor, and the wealthiest family of the place. This family obtained its wealth by brigandage, for which it was famous in 1860-1865. They employed every art and means in their power to destroy utterly the school.

The bishop of the diocese published a bull of excommunication, which was affixed to the walls of the churches and elsewhere, and one could hear throughout the village: "He who greets the Protestant, he who gives him to drink or to eat, he who protects him or speaks with him, who goes to his meetings or sends their children to his school, on such will immediately fall the sentence of excommunication." The woman that brought him water every morning, and others that brought him eggs and milk did not come any more. But "thanks be to God our Father," says our brother, "they have not been able to carry out their Satanic designs. We have lacked

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nothing." The priest obtained the names of all who sent children to our school, or who came to our meetings, and to such he refused absolution and the sacrament until they promised to take the child from school and never more to attend our meetings. A woman, to whom absolution was thus peremptorily refused fainted from terror. Her husband was called before the priest, the doctor, and others, who asked him why he sent his boys to the accursed school. He replied, "Because there is no other in which I can educate them, and I intend to send them there as long as there is no other." The priest replied, "We will have a school." "Very well," said the man; "in the meanwhile I will continue to send the boys where they go now." Five boys were taken from the school, but they cried and pleaded with their parents to allow them to return, and three have returned. Ours is the only school in the village in which the two higher elementary classes are taught. The school has continued with the loss of only two boys. The meetings are just as well attended as before the war broke out against us. The reaction has turned to our favor, and the people understand better than before the difference in the spirit of evangelical Christianity and Roman Catholicism. Our arms are love, light, and liberty. Theirs, hatred, darkness, and oppression.

A letter just received from Adria is as follows: "In these days we have been persecuted by the papists, who are favored by the local authorities. We have had repetitions of the scenes of the days of grossest ignorance and superstition. After one of their famous processions, while we were in the house of one of our brethren holding a little meeting for prayer and the study of God's word, we were assailed by papists, who stoned the house in which we were, and cursed us and the place. We replied to their abuse with songs and prayers. The next day several said, 'It was beautiful to hear the sweet melodies in contrast to the harsh curses.' A very respectable family living near, who had been up to that time fervent Romanists, have decided for Christ. Pray for us that in this terrible conflict against the powers of darkness we may have sufficient faith and courage to be conquerors through Him who hath loved us and given himself for us."

METHODIST EPISCOPAL MISSION.

In spite of opposition, persecution, and discouragements this has been in many respects the best year in the history of this mission. Nearly all the ministers returned to their charges from the Conference held at Pisa last October endued with a new spirit of consecration to their work. They returned, determined to be Methodist preachers and pastors as good Bishop Joyce had exhorted them. In this determination they went to work, and soon they were writing to me as follows: "I have returned from the Conference at Pisa full of enthusiasm for the cause of God and of our Church." "Now," says another, "I am convinced that we must abandon our old methods, and evangelize according to the spirit and usages of our Church." Another, "Now I am persuaded that Methodism is destined to save Italy." Another, "Rojoice, for in spite of so many struggles Methodism will triumph in our beautiful land." Another, "I feel as never before that Christ is in my heart. It is not knowledge nor natural ability, because I know that I am nothing, but it is Christ in me that permits me to see wonders in the work here that otherwise would be inexplicable." This spirit transformed into action was bound to produce results. Hence in several places we have had manifestations of the power of God in the conversion of souls. Papists and infidels alike have entered into a living experience of the power of Christ to save.

Two weeks ago I was privileged to receive into our church at Pavia fifteen persons truly converted to God, who had been for six months regular attendants at class meeting, where they had not only related their experience, but had been carefully in

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structed in the doctrines and discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They were ready to answer intelligently all our questions. Among them was the librarian. of the university, a cultured man about sixty years of age. Another was a teacher in the public schools. Others are to be received later into the same church, making in all about thirty-five converted since last Conference. At Milan there has been a blessed work all the year, making it necessary to organize a second church there next year. In many places there have been steady gains, while in only one or two places have we met with loss.

I wish our friends in America could hear for themselves the experience of some of these young converts. Having to wait a little while one day at the Foggia railroad station, I entered into conversation with a young man employed in the engine shop, who is a member of our church in that city. He told me something of his experience. He was for several years an infidel. He has three sisters who are nuns. One was very anxious for her brother, and begged him to go and confess himself to a priest whom she recommended. To please her he went. He began his confession by telling the priest that he did not believe in his famous image that perspired and moved its eyes. The priest, believing that the fellow had come to make sport of him, would have nothing more to do with him. For some time he had been frequenting our meetings, and finally decided to give himself to Christ according to the teaching of the Gospel. He is now a happy Christian, and his wife, though yet a Catholic, rejoices in the change that has taken place in her husband. He is a better husband, father, and brother, because he has Christ in his heart.

A most interesting work has sprung up beyond the Alps. For some time we have had a mission for the Italians in the city of Geneva, a work begun by Dr. Malan, now our Italian minister in the city of Philadelphia. Many times we have been led to doubt if we ought to continue this work, when there was so much need of concentrating all our strength and means in Italy. Since last Conference, however, this work has been wonderfully blessed of God. The church at Geneva has been revived, and the fire has spread to other cities, Lausanne, Vevey, and Montreux, on Lake Geneva. At Montreux the meetings are attended by about one hundred and fifty men, all desirous of knowing the truth. Several have already been converted. At Vevey there are about seventy-five regular attendants. Six have asked to unite with the church. At Lausanne the meetings are wonderful. About three hundred men crowd the Wesleyan Church, where Signor Tourn, our Italian minister at Geneva, preaches to them the word of life. Our German pastor at Lausanne has greatly aided the work by organizing his young people into a choir and helping in the singing. About five hundred New Testaments have been sold, and many hundreds of tracts distributed. A noble-hearted and Christian gentleman, a Russian, Count de Schulipnikow, whose acquaintance I made at Florence three years ago, has greatly helped in the work. Thus far he has paid all the expenses for books, printing, traveling of our minister to and from Geneva.

At Montreux the municipal authorities, persuaded of the good work being done, have spontaneously offered their beautiful hall for the services. At Vevey the hall is provided by a number of gentlemen of that place. At Lausanne, as we have said, the meetings are held in the French Wesleyan Church. Some one may ask, "Who are these men that attend the meetings?" They are Italian Roman Catholics, mostly masons and carpenters, for nearly all the building in that part of Switzerland is done by Italians. They are industrious, hard-working men. Some of them have left their families in Italy, intending to return there; others are to make Switzerland their permanent home. Free from the prejudices and ecclesiastical op

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pression of their home land they gladly listen, many of them for the first time, to the joyful news of the Gospel preached in their own tongue.

The progress of our work this year has also been seen in the very much larger sales of our books, tracts, and papers. Last year we published 94,317 volumes, aggregating 1,320,442 pages. We cannot yet say what the result will be for this year, but we know that the sales this year will far exceed those of any previous year. There has been an increase in the activity and zeal of our young people in many places. We have regularly organized branches of the Epworth League at Palermo, Naples, Foggia, Rome, Florence, Pisa, Milan, Pavia, Adria, S. Marzano, Turin, and Geneva. There are meetings for prayer, for mutual instruction and edification, and for social intercourse. In several places, especially at Foggia, Terni, and Pavia, we have considerably improved our halls of worship, making them more convenient and attractive.

Our work both in the boys' and girls' institutes at Rome has been crowned with success. The good seed sown has brought forth fruit to the glory of God. Before we can expect to carry on a more extensive work here we must have the long-wished-for building, in which we hope to accommodate our church, boys' college, theological school, and publishing interests. We have, as all who have seen it declare, one of the finest sites in the city. How long shall Romanists and infidels look upon it and say: "They are a poor, weak folk, and have not the means to build?" Let some good, generous servant of the Lord come to our rescue, and erect here a monument to God's glory.

OPEN KOREA AND ITS METHODIST MISSION.

BY REV. GEORGE HEBER JONES.

HE Koreans are an ancient people. Their historical period goes back three thousand years; their traditions carry us a millennium further into the mists of long gone ages. Monuments of a hoar antiquity abound. The missionary works in cities laid out while Abraham was still in the land of the Chaldees; he gazes upon tombs which contained the dust of sages when Saul of Kish founded Jewish royalty. Seoul, the center of missionary operations, was built one hundred years before Columbus discovered America. A fortress erected in the time of Christ has become a missionary sanitarium.

The Korean is proud of his antiquity. His answer to the West, when first an attempt was made to open his rigidly secluded home, indicates full well his temper : "We are satisfied with our civilization of three thousand years, and want nothing you can bring." Age had impaired his eyesight, and he could neither see clearly nor discern properly just what it was the West proposed to give.

Later on Korea, in the persons of a now famous embassy, visited the West and saw, but their conclusion upon return was thus expressed by the most eminent of that company: "The West is a mighty flame, Korea the moth flitting about it; flame is a dangerous locality for the moth." His infirm vision was dazzled and blinded by what he saw.

From this, however, we are not to infer that there is no spirit of progress among the Koreans. It is a human trait, especially emphasized among Asiatics, to be eager for any personal benefit, and Korea is certainly desirous of our good things, but she wishes to be convinced of the genuine and beneficial character of what we offer before she accepts.