humble employment she can obtain. The gambling gipsy forsakes the race, the fair, the song, and fiddling at the low public house, and becomes an agricultural labourer or stableman if he can, but settles down to some fixed employment or other, however humble. They are also very desirous of acquiring a "little learning," and one powerful hold that the missionary has upon them is to be found in this anxiety of theirs to learn to read and write. Even those who think such matters beyond them, considering the time of life at which they have arrived, are glad to make an amanuensis of the missionary, and he generally goes amongst them provided with pens, ink, and paper, to conduct their correspondence. This, too, has proved very serviceable to him in his work, in giving him the opportunity, especially in times of trouble or death, of speaking appropriate words to those to whom he is rendering service.

A few cases may now be given illustrative of what the Gospel has done spiritually with these poor wanderers, to whom good Rowland Hill would have sent in the first instance not a missionary but a policeman.

In the "Missing Link" magazine, a writer gives an interesting description of a gipsy tea party, when sixty men and women, their black eyes sparkling with a brilliancy peculiarly their own, surrounded a well-spread table. Their much loved city missionary, Mr. Burns, was present, together with other Christian friends who had come to spake a kind word to these dwellers in tents. Several of the women possessed no small share of beauty; and all had sought, by their neat appearance, to do honour to the kind entertainers who were waiting upon them. Baby gipsies were present, and men, and lads, and wild rough boys were there too, enjoying such a tea as some of them had never seen before, with their skins brown as the earth, and their thick, black, matted hair,

which had never known brush or comb. They sang the grace and all went on happily, until a lady, rather inju diciously, struck a wrong chord by descanting upon the lies the gipsies told when fortune telling. The word was strong, and a bright little gipsy in a scarlet cloak fired up in a rage, and said, "Many told lies and fortunes also besides gipsies, and she was not coming there to be told she was a liar." This brought the lady's address to a conclusion, but Mr. Burns, by a few kind words, put all right again. Soon after this a young gentleman accused one of the matted-hair boys of stealing his pocket-handkerchief, which caused a tremendous burst of indignation. One handsome old gipsy, with her black bonnet and scarlet roses inside, and feather outside, scolded very much; and all desired the boy to give himself up to be stripped and searched immediately, and thus prove that they were an honest people, and the lad an honour to his parents. Oil was again poured upon the troubled waters, and the rest of the evening was peaceful and joyful. The tea being finished, suitable addresses were delivered, some of the gipsies themselves speaking out of a full and grateful heart. A fine old gipsy woman, with a beaming happy countenance, rose and asked permission to tell her dear friends what the Lord had done for her soul. Since I have been a widow," she said, "I have brought up nine children, but oh! what mercy God has shown to me. In His infinite love He brought me to Jesus, and Jesus, the blessed Jesus, has brought me into His fold. He has made me, as you see, friends, a happy woman. I cannot read the Bible, but I love to hear it and follow what it tells me, and you know what a sinner I used to be. Ah! Selina (speaking to a woman across the table) you know how we used to go on sinning together, telling fortunes and telling lies, as the lady said, but I would not do it now,

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Have you

Have you asked Him

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Selina. Oh! give it up and join me. Come to Jesus just now, just as you are, every one of you. looked to Him? to forgive you? Just as I am" I go to God on my knees night and morning, and I long to speak a word for Jesus. I know you have never heard a gipsy woman speak like this before. O, friends, seek Him! seek Him! There are but two paths, one leads to heaven, the other down to hell; for Christ's sake turn to the Lord; oh, for Christ's sake, turn now." This poor woman had such evident love in her heart for her people, such a touching manner, and clear, fine voice, that she riveted all ears and eyes, and reminded one of the woman of Samaria: Come, see a man who told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Christ!"

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This interesting gathering of gipsies from the distant outskirts of London, and chiefly by the influence of the missionary who had laboured amongst them, may in itself be no insignificant proof that his labour has not been in vain. Those whom he had been instrumental in leading to the Saviour had become his fellow-helpers in the Gospel, and, as in the instance just given, were anxious that others should experience the same blessings they themselves enjoyed. The missionary states it as his conviction that the increase of building of late years in the metropolis has had, in some respects, a favourable effect on the gipsies. The usual haunts of the gipsies being encroached upon, until in some parts there is no room left for them, they are driven into lodgings of some kind, generally the cheapest rooms they can get. At first the change from their tent life was a great trial to them, but gradually they are becoming used to it, even if they are far from being reconciled to it. In their lodgings they are regularly visited by the missionary, whom they receive very kindly, and if he is longer than usual in

making his rounds they express re

gret.

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From an unpublished journal of a missionary, made in 1864, a few additional cases of usefulness may be gathered. An interesting part of his work consisted in reading to the gipsies, either the Scriptures or the religious tract presented to them. This was indeed necessary in many cases, seeing that the people could not themselves read. In the narrative portions of Holy Writ they were especially interested, and on one occasion when the history of Joseph was read a gipsy woman exclaimed, "I could sit and listen to you a whole day; in all England's land there is not a man fonder of hearing reading than I am." To read the tract to them before giving it them greatly pleases them, and in many instances this has been the means of good. They are particularly interested in tracts addressed to gipsies, the one entitled The dying gipsy" being a great favourite. On one occasion after the missionary had read a page of this tract to a gipsy, the man interrupted the reading with the exclamation, That was my grandfather, sir!" He then confirmed every word of the tract, saying, "It is quite true." Upon another occasion after reading the tract, "A Few Kind Words to a Gipsy," the listener said, "That's true, every word of it. I have been guilty of everything it says; there is not a sin mentioned there but I have committed." The missionary endeavoured to strengthen the feelings of penitence which he saw working in the poor gipsy's mind, and his efforts were gratefully received. Once, upon visiting a camp on Hackney Downs, he met with some opposition, four strong gipsies rudely repelling all his advances, one of them, especially, turning everything he said into ridicule. He persevered, however, and commenced reading the tract, A thousand years for every moment;" presently they

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could compel you.

listened, and as he proceeded they offered no further interruption. When he had concluded, the man who had offered the greatest opposition asked him to accompany him to his tent. Upon the missionary complying, the gipsy began to tell him of the wicked life he had been leading, and asked if there was any way by which he could become better. The missionary unfolded to him the Gospel, and encouraged him to pray for a new heart; then they separated, perhaps never to meet again.

To give up "fortune-telling," as we have said, is one of the first fruits of a better state of mind in the gipsies who have come under the missionary's influence. One woman, even after her mind had been enlightened, continued addicted to this art; but, as might have been supposed, remained very unhappy. The missionary gave her solemn and faithful counsel, but it was not until she stood by the death-bed of her mother that she took a decisive step and abandoned the sin altogether. She was not without her temptations; for, young ladies would call upon her and plead with her for hours to have their fortunes told. The gipsy woman however continued firm to her resolve, notwithstanding threats and promises, and the missionary reports with joy that both this woman and her husband may be reckoned among the fruits of his labours. This "fortune-telling" seems to be greatly encouraged by ladies, for another missionary reports as follows: "Mrs. - during my visit, told me of the temptations she had from ladies to go back to her sin of fortune-telling, but she had answered them that she would die in the workhouse before she would go back to serve the devil, or to please them. They offered, she said, to support her and her family if she would but tell them their fortunes, and nobody's else. But no! she would not

falsify her word.' They then said, ' If the queen was to come, would you not?' She replied, No!' But the queen

This roused her

indignation, and opening the door she said, Good bye, ladies, I hope I shan't see you no more.' So they departed and have not troubled her since."

The next time the missionary visited this converted woman she asked him to write a letter for her to her son in India, and first of all, she said, "Tell him, that two years ago I left off my sinful mode of getting a livelihood, and turned over a new leaf, and that, ever since, I have been a much happier woman. My trust is in Jesus, who died in my place, and bore the punishment of my sins." and a prayer were enclosed with this epistle, and the missionary engaged in prayer with the woman and her husband for the Divine blessing to accompany it to its destination.

Several leaflets by Dr. Marsh

From the unpublished journal a concluding case may be given, premising that, at the time, the matters alluded to created quite a sensation in the public press. Upon visiting a gipsy family in the suburbs of London, the missionary found the wife in great distress of mind. After some conversation, she said, "I want to tell you something which very few know, I am a sister of the unhappy man who killed his wife last summer through jealousy. Oh! sir, it has been such a trouble to me. Do you think the Lord could forgive him for such a crime as that? He died in the asylum, but he was very penitent, constantly praying, 'O Lamb of God that takest away the sin of the world-' you know it, Sir-I hope the Lord had mercy on him." The missionary endeavoured to comfort her by directing her to Him who is able to save to the uttermost, and she was very grateful for his visit.

Shortly after this a gipsy was killed in a fight with one of his tribe, and the missionary went to North Woolwich, where there was a large encampment of the friends both of the deceased and the man-slayer. He found them all very sorrowful at what had occurred.

One and another lamented his absence at the time of the fray:-" We always had some one to visit us when there was a death amongst us, but this time there was no one to preach to us or to give us any comfort." He read portions of the Word of God to them, and endeavoured to speak words appropriate to the circumstances in which he found them. In the evening, he conducted an open air service in the midst of their tents, when a large number of gipsies were present. They listened with the greatest attention to an address founded upon the words :-"Godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." At the conclusion of the service, some of them accompanied the speaker to the missionroom to another meeting. One gipsy thanked him, all the way, for taking the trouble to teach them. We want it," he said, "bad enough here; there are bad goings on amongst us." Several young persons attended the second. service, and it is hoped a good impression was made.

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About a week after this, the missionary visited the camp at North Woolwich again for the purpose of

seeing the man who had killed his companion, and who was out on bail. The unhappy man was very penitent, and a solemn prayer-meeting was held in his tent with five or six other gipsies. They all knelt down in prayer and appeared quite in earnest. The missionary, in the course of the day, had many encouraging interviews with members of the tribe, and he concludes the record of the day's proceedings by expressing the hope that the unhappy quarrel would be overruled for good. All appeared more anxious to listen than they had formerly been.

From such selections from the journals of those who have worked for years amongst these wanderers, it must be evident, we think, that much has already been done in the social and spiritual improvement of a race of people whose ignorance, unsettled habits, and general lawlessness, had seemed to place them beyond the pale of Christian effort. May what has been done be only the promise of yet greater things, and a class of people very powerful for mischief still wherever they are found, be made good citizens by being made good Christians!

* "When were our Gospels Written? An Argument, by Constantine Tischendorf. With a Narrative of the Discovery of the Sinaitic Manuscript." Published by the Religious Tract Society. Our space will not allow us to quote the history of Tischendorf's earlier studies and labours in the same great cause.

copied the sacred writings, and collected manuscripts of all kinds. It therefore occurred to me whether it was not probable that in some recess of Greek or Coptic, Syrian or Armenian monasteries, there might be some precious manuscripts slumbering for ages in dust and darkness? And would not every sheet of parchment so found, covered with writings of the fifth, sixth, and seventh centuries, be a kind of literary treasure, and a

valuable addition to our Christian literature?

These considerations have, ever since the year 1842, fired me with a strong desire to visit the East. I had just completed at the time a work which had been very favourably received in Europe, and for which I had received marks of approval from several learned bodies, and even from crowned heads.

The work I advert to was this. There lay in one of the libraries of Paris one of the most important manuscripts then known of the Greek text. This parchment manuscript, the writing of which, of the date of the fifth century, had been retouched and renewed in the seventh, and again in the ninth century, had, in the twelfth century, been submitted to a twofold process. It had been washed and pumiced, to write on it the treatises of an old father of the Church of the name of Ephrem. Five centuries later, a Swiss theologian of the name of Wetstein, had attempted to decipher a few traces of the original manuscript; and, later still, another theologian, Griesbach of Jena, came to try his skill on it, although the librarian assured him that it was impossible for mortal eye to rediscover a trace of a writing which had perished for six centuries. In spite of these unsuccessful attempts, the French Government had recourse to powerful chemical re-agents to bring out the effaced characters. But a Leipzig theologian, who was then at Paris, was so unsuccessful in this new attempt, that he asserted that it was impossible to produce an edition of this text, as the manuscript was quite illegible. It was after all these attempts that I began, in 1841-2, to

try my skill at the manuscript, and had the good fortune to decipher it completely, and even to distinguish between the dates of the different writers who had been engaged on the manuscript.

This success, which procured for me several marks of recognition and support, encouraged me to proceed. I conceived it to be my duty to complete an undertaking which had hitherto been treated as chimerical. The Saxon Government came forward to support me. The king, Frederick Augustus II., and his distinguished brother, John, sent me marks of their approval; and several eminent patrons of learning at Frankfort, Geneva, Rome, and Breslau, generously offered to interest themselves in my attempt.

I here pass over in silence the interesting details of my travels-my audience with the Pope, Gregory XVI., in May, 1843-my intercourse with Cardinal Mezzofanti, that surprising and celebrated linguist—and I come to the result of my journey to the East. It was in April, 1844, that I embarked at Leghorn for Egypt. The desire which I felt to discover some precious remains of any manuscripts, more especially Biblical, of a date which would carry us back to the early times of Christianity, was realised beyond my expectations. It was at the foot of Mount Sinai, in the Convent of St. Catherine, that I discovered the pearl of all my researches. In visiting the library of the monastery, in the month of May, 1844, I perceived in the middle of the great hall a large and wide basket full of old parchments, and the librarian, who was a man of information, told me that two heaps of papers like these, mouldered by time, had been