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ought to weigh with us when we feel disposed to delay a little, or to absent ourselves on any light occasion.

But I return to what I have said: our's is solemn, weighty, blessed work. Uphill work, indeed, I grant you, having in it much discouragement and difficulty, but still full of joy, full of promise, full of present reward, full of hope for the future. Let us, then, when we do it, do it heartily and well. Let us do it as unto the Lord. Let us have regard to each child, and try to take each into our heart, and plead with God for each, lest again we may be obliged sorrowing to say-" Mary Bird was in my class, and I warned her not, and she is dead!"

[After reading the above searching paper, those of our readers who are Sunday School Teachers may see the advantage of definitely inducing their classes to adopt regular Scripture reading, as a means of deepen ing during the week the impressions made by the Sunday Class.

It is surprising to us why every Sunday School Teacher does not form his or her class into one of our Associations, and act as Secretary for it. We have a great many such Secretaries; but might have ten times as many.

We would name the following as among the many advantages of forming these Associations :

1.-They encourage children to form a habit of regular Bible-reading, which may become life-long, and be an inestimable blessing to them. 2.-They give the Teacher an additional influence over the children of a very useful kind.

3. They bring the children every day under the influence of their Sunday Class, making the Sunday School a daily instead of a weekly

power.

4.—The Weekly Readings will suggest topics of conversation during the class time, where no fixed lessons are used through the school; and where there are fixed lessons, a few minutes might be devoted to talking over any special points in the readings for the week.

5.-This Union is much better than a special Children's Scripture Union, as the children on growing up will not be obliged to shift from it. They can remain Associates after leaving the Sunday School, and indeed for life. Or when older, they can become full Members, without having to leave one Union for another.

6. Then the example of daily reading being introduced into the home, the parents and others may be led to follow it, and all the family, young and old together, can read in the same Union. It may thus become a missionary work.

7.-Over and above the influence of the Daily Scripture Reading, the Magazine will be helpful to the children, and its contents might be occasionally read and talked over during class time, as opportunity

occurs.

8. Then a great point is gained in introducing Living Waters, the

organ of these Associations, into the home. It is brought within the reach of the parents, brothers, and sisters, who might read an illustrated periodical, when they would not touch the Bible or a Tract. Living Waters aims specially at awaking and conversion, as well as encouragement in Christian Life. It serves all the purposes of a Gospel Tract.

We would appeal this month to EVERY SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AMONG OUR READERS to prayerfully consider this subject, and to write for a Paper of Instructions for forming Associations. Also if those who will give one of the papers to each of their fellow-teachers will say how many they can use in this way, we will gladly send, postfree, as many as they want. Address, the Secretary, Christian Progress Union, 21, Exeter Hall, London, W.C.]

Association for the Free Distribution of the Scriptures.

IN prospect of leaving a happy home of many years, in order that it might become a Training College for Home and Foreign Missionaries, and when taking for almost the last time my Sunday School Class, with mingled feelings of love for the work so soon to be given up, and of intense longing to know in what way the great Master would find work for the future, it came like a voice, and quite distinctly, "Go and give away Bibles in Rome."

This was literally fulfilled in less than a year. The dream of a lifetime had been to see Rome; and the entrance of the Italian troops only a few months before had just left the Seven-hilled City free for Evangelistic work. A second visit to Italy three years afterwards gave opportunities for further distribution, during which time many interesting incidents occurred.

Having been furnished with a good supply of gospels, we were giving them at the railway stations, when a gentleman

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in the carriage, between Florence and Rome, seeing the anxiety of the people to get them, said, "Excuse me, is this your work?" "Yes; and very happy work, too." The next question I cannot exactly remember, to which I replied, "If you mean, am I paid for it-certainly not." Immediately he handed me a 20 franc gold piece, saying, "Will you add this to your funds, for I am sure it must be doing good." Thanking him, I asked if I might spend it in Testaments." "Anything," he answered, "so that it is the pure Word of God."

After seeing the reception of the Testaments, I could no longer feel happy to give only the small portions, when we ourselves have the whole.

One man, in the Museum at Naples, to whom we had given little books, came and said that he had asked several gentlemen for a Testament, but had never been able to obtain one. Great was his joy on receiving a copy. He said, "Now, I will give you back the other books, for this contains everything." He was delighted when told to keep them all.

At Pompeii one of the custodians, to whom we gave a Testament, asked for one for each of his four brothers. After that we bought as many as we could at the different places, and gave them to eager recipients.

On our return home the uppermost thought was continuously, how the many thousands and millions who are still in darkness could be supplied with the Lamp of Life. Many were the letters written to those who would be likely to take an interest in this pressing need, calling forth answers of encouragement in many cases, but that did not accomplish the end in view.

While consulting with Mr. Moody and other friends on the subject, during the former's first visit to England, a remark made by Mr. Paton on leaving struck me. "Mrs. Robertson,"

he said, "that is your work;" for all my idea had been to get someone else to take it up.

Writing after this to several Christian friends, explaining to them the object to be obtained, I received various sums, which were placed in the bank; and an article in The Christian brought replies from workers abroad, stating the great help it would be to be able to give Bibles or Testaments to many who, through poverty, indifference, or superstition, would never purchase them.

. Since that time supplies have been sent into France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Russia, Austria, Greece, Turkey, Transylvania, Pomerania, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Cyprus, Armenia, Syria, Persia, India, Kashmir, Japan, Burmah, Madeira, Cape Verd Islands, Nicaragua, Brazil, Mexico, Natal, Jamaica, Demerara, Guiana. Prisons, hospitals, railway stations, soldiers, policemen, cabmen, servants at hotels, have been supplied as the opportunities have presented themselves.

Christians located in the different countries are only too glad to have the pleasure of presenting the gifts, and are amply recompensed by the joy of the recipients, who are sometimes overwhelmed with gratitude.

More than eighteen hundred years have passed away since our Saviour gave the command, "Go ye unto all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," and yet at the present time one thousand millions have never had a copy of the New Testament; nor will their posterity for generations to come, unless a special effort is made by the Church of Christ to obey the Divine Master, and give His own words to the perishing nations of the earth.

It is a solemn responsibility resting upon every Christian, that there are immortal souls now living who can read, and who would most gladly read, the wondrous message redeeming love; but, before they can be supplied, millions

of

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will have passed away out of time into eternity. The › highest angel in Heaven would gladly wing his flight to this world to do the happy work of giving the Word of Life to perishing sinners.

The cry is from many lands for the Word of God. Surely Christians will respond to it. All who assist the Association for the Free Distribution of the Scriptures in this much-needed work will know that whatever they dedicate to the Society is spent in putting the Word of God into the hands of those who do not possess a copy, as the whole work is done by voluntary labour. This we do, trusting the promise, "My Word shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please;" the conversion of sinners, and a mighty victory for Him who, for our sakes, became poor, that we, through His poverty, might be rich.

It will be interesting just to add that the work, begun in such a small and simple way, has developed into a Society with a responsible Committee and a fair income from donations and annual subscriptions. If any of the readers of Christian Progress would like to know more of the work, they should write to Mrs. Robertson, 6, Oak Hill Park, Hampstead, London, N.W., for papers about it. If any wish to share the inestimable privilege of helping in the distribution of the Scriptures in all lands, they may send their subscription also,to Mrs. Robertson.

[We hope that all our readers will take an interest in this work of distributing freely the pure Word of God in all languages. Doubtless many will like to have their share in it, however small, by sending what they can afford to Mrs. R., who will acknowledge direct all sums when a name and address is given, unless it be otherwise requested.-EDITOR C. P.]