to our prayers, how much more so are we of the countless tokens of the loving kindness which daily surrounds our path? The timely help, the unexpected pleasure, the desire which may never even have been expressed, but yet has been met and granted. Who amongst the Lord's people has not had repeated experience of such? But have they been as frequently made the occasion of praise and thanksgiving? Alas! is it not too true that we have "let His mercies lie forgotten in unthankfulness, and without praises die?" Of the ten lepers cleansed, the Samaritan alone returned to give glory to God.

Praise should be prompt, not withheld until much of the warmth has evaporated, and formality takes its place. We thank one another at once for kindness shown or a promise given why should we treat God worse than we treat a fellow-creature? In reality, unbelief is often at the bottom of our tardy thanksgiving; there is a little secret doubt as to God's fulfilment of His promise. The children of Israel sang their song of praise before they entered the promised land. Jehoshaphat "appointed singers to go before the army, and to say, ' Praise the Lord : '" and when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir. When we begin to praise beforehand, victory will be ours too; by faith, the walls of many a Jericho fall down.

Praise will be peculiarly the employment of heaven, but we need not-must not-wait till then to commence it; the cause then will be the same as now, and the love and grace which will be perfected then in our full redemption, has already given us the earnest and the pledge in calling us and uniting us to Christ. Let us abide in Him, and even here and now we shall know what the Psalmist meant when he wrote, "Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house they will be still praising Thee."

:

Books Worth Reading.

By the Editor.

[The Editor wishes it to be understood by Members of the Union, and by all his readers, that these books are not noticed here in the way of general review, but as actually suggesting the books which he would recommend for their own perusal, and for their use as presents. The recommendation of good books is a useful help towards progress in Christian Life, and it will be in future one of the definite features of Christian Progress."]

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CHINA'S SPIRITUAL NEEDS AND CLAIMS, by J. Hudson Taylor, M.R.C.S., F.R.G.S. (Morgan & Scott, 1-, or cloth gilt, 3/6), is very well 'worth reading.' It sets forth the claims which that enormous country has upon our attention, with a vividness which cannot well be resisted. It is deeply interesting as a description of China, but the more so as describing what has already been done, and what it is hoped to do, in winning the poor benighted Chinese to Christ by means of Missionary effort, and especially by that useful Society, the China Inland Mission. We hope that many of our readers will obtain the book, and read and lend it. It abounds with beautiful pictures, and has an excellent map of China, showing the many stations of the C. I. Mission. THE DANCE OF MODERN SOCIETY, by W. C. Wilkinson (Funk & Wagnalls, 44, Fleet Street, E. C., 3/6), is a vigorous and outspoken effort to open people's eyes to what modern dancing really is. It is in plainer language than many will like; but the dark depths which lie under the outward crust of respectability in the dance, cannot faithfully be exposed in anything else but plain words. Those who object to these, ought rather to object to the so-called recreation of which such things could possibly be written. ST. PAUL, THE Author of the ACTS, AND OF THE THIRD GOSPEL, by the Rev. H. H. Evans, B.A. Wyman & Sons, 7/6), is an attempt to prove what the title suggests. It is "worth reading," for the information which it gives as to the similarity of words and expressions used in St. Paul's Epistles, and also in the Acts, and in the Third Gospel. This is, in most people's judg ment, sufficiently accounted for by the fact that St. Luke was the travelling companion of St. Paul, and was well acquainted with his methods of expression. We think that few will be found to give up, on such grounds, the ancient belief that St. Luke wrote the books in question. THESE FIFTY YEARS, by J. M. Weylland (S. W. Partridge & Co., 3/6), is the jubilee volume of the London City Mission, and a more thoroughly interesting book it would be difficult to find. No Christian ought to need fiction when such books are to be had. The work of the London City Mission ought to be known to every one, and this volume affords a good opportunity of becoming acquainted with it. Every page of it abounds with interest, and we hope that many of our readers will obtain it. They will thank us for the recommendation. SHAFTESBURY, HIS LIFE AND WORK, by G. Holden Pike (S. W. Partridge & Co., 1/-), will be read with the deepest interest by all. The honoured name of Lord Shaftesbury is a "household word " everywhere. Even those who know little about his work have heard of him. This little volume gives a brief account of who he is, and what he has done. Every one should read it. T. B. SMITHIES, by E. S. Rowe

(S. W. Partridge & Co., 1/-), is a memoir of another who well deserves to be mentioned beside the foregoing. The late editor of The British Workman has reached, with his influence for good, hundreds of thousands, especially of the poorer classes. He rests from his labours, but the good which he has done lives after him. We heartily recommend this little memoir to our readers.

Consecrated Recreation" as a Volume.

WE are glad to be able to announce that most of what has appeared in this Magazine on the subject of Recreation is published in a separate volume, carefully revised, and in part re-written. The volume forms the sixth of the Sure Foundation Series. It will be ready by November 15th, and should be ordered from any bookseller at once, to secure copies at the earliest date. The size of the book has compelled the omission of some of the matter, viz., the paper on Dancing (which will shortly be published separately in cheap form for wide distribution), on Concerts, and on Reading. We trust that the vast importance of the subject is now sufficiently clear to our readers to secure a large cir culation for the book. The papers have already helped large numbers, and how far they may still be helpful will depend upon how far our friends will distribute the book. It would make a useful present for Christmas or New Year, or for any other occasion. It will cost 1/ and may be had post free by any who forward that amount to the publishers, Messrs. Nisbet & Co., 21, Berners Street, London, W.

We have had small notices of the book printed for distribution, and our friends could aid its circulation by obtaining some of these and passing them on, by letter or by hand, to their friends. They will be sent, post free, to all who write for them. Address, the Rev. E. Boys, 21, Exeter Hall, London, W.C.

Christmas Letter Mission.

A SHORT notice of this work in last December's number of Christian Progress resulted in many letters of inquiry, and in the enlistment of new and willing distributors. Begun in 1871 by the distribution of a few packets of homely letters in one or two hospitals in Brighton and London, it is estimated that on Christmas Day in 1883 above 500,000 were scattered by this mission in ten languages, and in different parts of the world. Through England and America, on the Continent and in the Colonies, in India and Burmah, in Bermuda and St. Helena, the Christmas Letters had their welcomes. By the enclosure to the Central Secretary, Miss F. Jameson, 44, Clanricarde Gardens, Notting Hill, W.,

CHRISTMAS LETTER MISSION.

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of an addressed postal wrapper, a report of distributions and plans, and a catalogue of the new and beautifully illustrated letters can be at once obtained.

Letters for the sick in hospital, and in the lonely sick room, for children of all classes, also letters adapted for general parochial and district distribution for miners, factory hands, soldiers, sailors, Bible classes, servants, young persons in business, etc., etc., are newly issued.

Departmental distributions to policemen, fire brigades, postmen, tram, and omnibus-drivers, and young persons in business were last Christmas organised in London, and in other large towns, and for such organisations additional workers are earnestly needed.

The Secretary has undertaken to organise the distribution of English letters in foreign ports, and in other and yet more remote localities, unreached through the foreign secretaries, to sailors, soldiers, factory hands, etc., etc. But help is needed. The Congo and the Niger, China, and the West India Islands, have already been considered. Will not those who have friends and relations in distant and lonely places enlist them as distributors of the messenger-letters which God has owned and blessed? Any offers for thus supplying scattered outposts addressed to Miss Strong, 66, Mildmay Park, London, N., will be gratefully responded to.

One distributor writes :- "Last week a girl came to our Bible woman, who had been in the workhouse last year, an said, 'It was a blessed thing for me when I was rescued. It was all that letter as did it. I'm in a good situation, and means to keep it. I've got hard work, but I'm very happy.' We gave away about two hundred and fifty at the 'Rest,' a hundred at the Mission Ship, and a hundred at the Sailors' Home. Our 'Rest' men Our Rest' men were delighted, English and foreigners. One man came back to ask for a letter to send to his family. We gave a number of foreign ones to men passing in the street, and you would have laughed to see the astonished look of some of them when we said, 'There is a letter for you!' One young Dutchman looked as if he had been shot at the idea of a letter for him, in his own language, being there! The Rev. J. R. Phillips, chaplain of H.M.S. Thisbe, writes a most kind letter of thanks, and adds: It will doubtless give you great pleasure to know that a young man, whom I chanced to meet here, and who

had led a life far from what it should have been, was so far influenced by the words of the letter as to determine, by God's help, to turn over a new leaf, and in future to lead a godly, righteous, and sober life.""

If those desiring to utilise the Christmas and New Year season for spreading the Christmas Message, with the added pleasure of a personal greeting, would in and around their own homes scatter some of the letters ready to their hands, they would find it in their power to touch many a case of loneliness and ignorance, and to kindle the responsive "Some one cares for me!" which has in so many cases preceded the deeper gratitude to One "who gave Himself for me," of whom each missive speaks in simplest language. These servants, these tradesmen with their Christmas boxes, those cabmen on the stand, the workmen whom we have sought to reach, the women toiling in the adjacent laundry, that lodging-house servant to whom we spoke for Christ in the summer, the railway porters at the station, the tenantry on the home estate, the "hands" in the large business house for whose souls we have longed, the people in that lonely hamlet, the sick, not only in hospitals, but in their own chambers-these, and many more, would welcome the kindly greeting of "A Christmas letter for you," each letter being sent forth as a "King's Messenger."

It may be added that the accuracy and promptitude with which the printers* (who have thrown into this work their untiring and most successful energies) send out the orders large and small, and the facilities offered by the parcels post, make the procuring of supplies of all classes of Letters and Cards, at the shortest notice, an easy matter.

Lastly, will the readers of this magazine, if the gift of the Water of Life to sorrowful or unreached souls be a cause near to their own hearts, join in the tide of expectant supplication that to His glory in many a home and hospital, in many a region far and near, the living stream may through these channels have its inflowing, "to satisfy the desolate and the waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender herb to bring forth "?

* Messrs. Hazell, Watson, and Viney, 6, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, E.C., from whom a Specimen Packet, price 6d., or a full Sample Packet, price 3s., may be obtained.