prejudices of those papers. But you must not put into prominence anything likely to offend the notions of those papers on political matters. I meant also to say a word or two about the magazines. Everybody reads them, and everybody expects to have regularly their own monthly magazine. These magazines are circulated by hundreds and thousands. The editors must have matter for their articles, and therefore they read everything by themselves or their deputies which is sent to them. Young writers have at least a chance of their productions being read by the editors of these magazines, and if they accept these productions the pay as a rule is good. A previous speaker has said, "Write short sentences," but writers must write short pithy papers with short sentences and, I may add, with short words. The article must also be suitable to the magazine. I had the pleasure of introducing a story written by a clergyman's wife to the notice of a London editor. She wrote a charming tale, but he would not take it because she made the heroine die of consumption (and in that magazine all the stories end happily); but she would not alter her story, and he would not alter his requirements, and so the story was not accepted. And then another thing, writers must leave out a good deal of the letter "I." There is a story told of the Pitt Press at Cambridge that once they were very long over the book of an author, and the author went to the printing office and complained. "Well," said the printer, "I'm very sorry; but we are printing a volume of sermons for the Bishop of and we have quite run out of capital 'I's.'” These are happy days for young writers. Their writing through the medium of the press, with its million good circulations, may often reach and influence for good the far end of the world.

The Rev. THOMAS MOORE, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Maidstone, Author of "The Englishman's Brief," "The Dead Hand," "The Established Church Question: How to deal with it?" etc. It was not my intention in coming to this meeting to make any remarks on this subject; and I think it has been most exhaustively treated already. At the same time I have felt strongly for some years as to the position the clergy and the Church of England have taken up in reference to the press. They have stood apart from it. The prevailing opinion has been that it is beneath a clergyman's dignity to write to the press, and while he has been spending large sums of money on subsidizing a parochial magazine, he might have been doing his work far more effectually, and far better, by taking some one paper that had been started by other men's capital, and in many ways maintained by other men's enterprise, and by adopting it or using it as a medium through which to circulate his views. As to the matter of cheapness, I should advise every clergyman, if he has got anything to explain about the Church in any way, and desires to make it known to the people, to make use of the paper in his immediate district. I know a clergyman who for twenty-five years has not ceased to do this for a single week, and who in an emergency took upon himself to edit two papers for a considerable period, during which time he made them the means of propagating Church teaching, and correcting misrepresentations on all hands with reference to the Church. If we really feel the importance of this subject, we shall look upon the press as the best medium we have through which to communicate with the people. We should treat the representatives of the press as our friends, and not stand aloof from them, for they are doing the same work as we are doing, and speak to an immense majority of people whom we cannot reach. Why should we not try and get what we say from the pulpit published in newspapers? The press would report it if it were worth reporting; and if a clergyman has a lecture in his schoolroom, why should he not try and get a reporter present? and if there be not a reporter present, why should not the man save the press the trouble, and write out a report of his own? The clergy of the Church of England have not utilised the great opportunities in this respect that have been within their reach during the last twenty-five years, but their opponents have. And where do you find the most enterprising paper, conducted with energy, behind which is capital, and on which there are employed men of talent? You find them in neigbourhoods and places where Radicalism is predominant and Dissent is predominant. And the comparatively limited circulation of Church papers prevents them to a great extent from having that influence to correct opinion, to influence conviction, to guide men aright, not only religiously, but socially and politically, which we all desire for them. We ought to take up a distinct attitude with reference to the

press. If you contribute to the press and make it your friend, and treat its representatives as gentlemen ought to be treated, I say then you will necessarily have a great amount of influence for good. I could tell you many a story of success by people writing to the press. I do not believe that there is a Radical paper in the country, which, if a clergyman writes anything worth communicating to its columns and writes it in a becoming spirit, but that it will be used. I have never yet found in all my experience a single Radical paper refuse to insert anything appertaining to the Church -correcting misrepresentations of opinion or setting forth the Church's particular views, if it has been written in a becoming manner; and I strongly ask every clergyman to regard himself as standing shoulder to shoulder with the press and with the editor, and to feel that there is one brotherhood between them of tongue and pen, having for its object the achievement of the common good.

The Rev. H. C. MARRIOTT WATSON, St. John's Parsonage, Christchurch, New Zealand.

I CANNOT refuse to say a word about what we are doing in the colonies. We have Church papers in all our dioceses; and in one place there has been an attempt to establish a weekly paper, which has been successful. There was another in Melbourne, which failed for want of sufficient support. In regard to secular papers, we find both reporters and editors exceedingly favourable to what the clergy have to say they report our meetings and lectures, and will give a short resumé of our sermons. Church papers, when conducted on sectarian lines, will naturally appeal to a limited number of readers. Yet in England, where you have 25,000 clergymen, I do not see why a paper should not be established which will appeal at once to 50,000 readers; such a paper should be the upgrowth or outcome of the spiritual life of the people for whom it is prepared. I should regret to see a daily paper established on distinctly Church principles, but I would like to see a secular paper conducted in a Christian spirit; and I think such a paper might be established, and should be glad to see Archdeacon Emery take it up and make it a

success.

The Rev. R. E. JOHNSTON, Editor of the Rock.

I AM not going to inflict on you any lengthy speech, but that which I do desire to say is, that it has been impressed on my mind during the last few months, that there plainly ought to be more influence exerted through the press by the members of the Church for the welfare of the Church and the world at large, seeing that there is so much to contend against that is antagonistic to the glorious faith we profess. I confess there is a direct responsibility upon us all to reverse, as far as possible, the harm which has been done; and so far from wasting the resources and energies of the Church in the bitterness of party squabbles and strife, so far from spending our strength and energy in reviling one another in the pages of partisan journals, the gravest responsibility lies upon us to remove that stigma of bitter partisanship. It is perfectly true that differences do exist between different sections of the Church, and we must recognise that fact. But, while we recognise it, we may at least stretch forth the hand of brotherly regard across the chasm that divides us, and claim the assistance, co-operation, and good-will of those even from whom we differ. There is one difficulty which we editors labour under more than any other, perhaps, and it is that which has been touched upon, namely, that there is a profound antipathy, I was going to say in the nature, perhaps in the mind, in the inclination of a great many of the most able writers of the present day to have anything to do with newspapers. For my part I cannot feel that that is an opinion which ought to be supported in any degree. Some time ago this matter was placed before myself. I was a parochial clergyman, but there came to me the opportunity of taking up, on the lines of Christian charity and usefulness, a paper which had formerly been known as one of the

most bitter partisan journals, and I could not feel I was justified on the ground of my own disinclination in saying, "I will have nothing to do with it." And I do believe there are many men in the ranks of the clergy capable of writing with power and fulness of knowledge on all the great subjects of the day, and if they would but bring their influence to bear in all directions upon the press of the country a vast change would be apparent, and a vast improvement would take place, and instead of being generally, as is said, a power for evil, the press on all hands would become a power for good. Therefore let us, as far as possible, realise this responsibility. Let us take up the matter in the Master's name for the Master's sake, and accomplish it as His work.

The CHAIRMAN.

THE Chairman's duty on such an occasion as the present is, I think, like "the Speaker," to keep silence himself while he secures for others the opportunity of expressing their views, but I think that I may claim the last two minutes of the meeting in order to express my own opinion about what has been said, and my deep sense of gratitude for the tone in which the matter has been so admirably discussed from very different stand-points. What Archdeacon Emery said was that the Church should be now awakened in the matter of the press; and I think that this meeting shows that the Church-if not entirely awakened-is awakening up to the development of the utility of the printing press. It is too late to go at any length into the new agencies which have been mentioned. But one cannot help recognising with special thankfulness the remarks of the last speaker-associated as he is with one particular paper-who has spoken in a tone of Christian liberality and kindly loving spirit towards those who may differ from the particular principles he may represent, which one trusts may be largely disseminated throughout the existent religious press. Whether it is feasible to have a new distinct Church paper, daily or weekly, I cannot say; but I am sure I may say this, that a great deal of the efficient and valuable work done by existing Church papers has been marred by party spirit. And I am quite sure that we cannot do anything more practical, or which will tend more to promote the true stability and welfare of the Church at large, than discourage polemical attacks, however smart, clever, or vigorous; and advocate that temperate, kindly way of dealing with our differences which is compatible with true honesty and conviction, and most consistent with our religious profession.

The Venerable ARCHDEACON JOSEPH BALY, Retired Indian Chaplain.

THE subject of this paper is Church work in India among Europeans and Eurasians-their spiritual and educational needs. I can attempt in it no more than the very briefest statement of facts and of the results springing from them, and will begin at once with these, premising only that for brevity's sake I use the single term Europeans for all sections of the race, whether of pure or of mixed descent, it will therefore include those who are commonly called Eurasians, AngloIndians, East Indians.

The total number of Europeans in this sense of the word may be estimated as between 200,000 and 300,000, of whom a large proportion are in extreme poverty and a very low moral condition. These are found in the largest towns, and are sometimes known by the special name of East Indians. Another large section is composed of the many thousand British workmen who have permanently settled in India since 1858, and are now profitably employed on railways and other works. Besides these, there are the British troops, the civil servants of Government, merchants, planters, tradesmen, subordinates in the several departments of Government service, clerks in the public and mercantile offices, small pensioners and others, and a considerable contingent of loafers and paupers who have fallen out of employment through sickness or misconduct. Excepting the higher grades of civil servants, almost all soldiers, the wealthier merchants, planters, tradesmen, and professional men, nearly all of the Europeans in India live, labour, and die there, and their children will do the same; they have now become a permanent and increasing element of its population. For the most part this is distributed over some 600 stations and towns, in communities ranging from several thousands in the largest to a dozen or a score in the smallest; but a considerable number live away from towns and stations, working on plantations or on the construction of railways, canals, roads, etc.

It is this distribution over an area equal to that of Europe, less European Russia, and among a native population of 250,000,000, differing in race, religion and social life, which makes it so difficult to provide for the spiritual and educational needs of Europeans in India. The total number of Church of England clergy ministering to them is about 220, viz.-159 Chaplains maintained by Government in the principal civil and military stations for its own civil and military servants;

somewhat more than 30 additional clergy, aided by Government to the amount of from one-fourth to one-third of their stipend (the rest of it being paid by voluntary contributions) who minister in the smaller. civil and military, and the larger railway stations; about 20 missionaries, some few of whom receive a small grant for ministering to the Government servants resident in their mission station; some six or eight clergy receiving no grant in aid from Government, but maintained wholly by voluntary contributions, who minister solely to unofficial congregations.

Government acknowledges a direct responsibility only for its own civil and military servants and the employés on state and guaranteed railways, but it allows other than these to avail themselves of the ministrations of the clergy whom it maintains or aids. Where a congregation is entirely non-official, the stipend of the clergyman must be provided wholly from private sources. No increase has been made to the clerical staff by Government since 1858, although the railway community has almost entirely sprung up, and both the official and the non-official population has most largely increased since that date. Nor can any future increase be expected. Whatever increase, therefore, of clergy is needed to meet the increase of population, past and future, must be provided solely by voluntary contributions.

The total number of clergy is reduced by sick-leave and furlough to a working strength of between 180 and 190. In 1882 it was 186, which may be taken as the average; and the number of stations served by them was 557. Of these, 371 stations had no resident clergyman, but could only be periodically visited, as the bishops directed; and between 40 and 50 stations could not be visited at all.

This one fact alone proves the great insufficiency of the clerical staff, but it is made more evident by another-that in 1884 the Bishops of Calcutta, Lahore, and Rangoon could only sanction the following scale of visits :

And the number of visits ordered by the bishops is, through unavoidable causes, always in excess of the number that can be made by the clergy. The scale of visits for the Dioceses of Madras and Bombay is much the same.

In the stations occupied by Government chaplains there is always enough work, and sometimes far too much for efficient performance by one man; yet there are very few to which from one to six out-stations are not attached. Some of these are from 100 to 200 miles distant, and where there is no rail the visit may compel a journey of several days. It is as though a town-clergyman in Middlesex had attached to his charge a village in Yorkshire, another in Suffolk, and a third in Hampshire, and would only reach them by boat or by carriage, on horseback, or in a palanquin. The absences of some chaplains from their principal station on these out-station visits aggregate from three to six months in the