THE following account of the jubilee lately celebrated at Geneva is translated from a French periodical, entitled "Gazette Evangélique." It shows that, notwithstanding the sad departure in that city of many of the Pastors from the truth, there is yet in Switzerland a considerable degree of evangelical light and fervour.-EDIT.

MONSIEUR PASTOR DIODATI preached on Sunday, August 23d, at nine o'clock in the morning, in St. Peter's church. The sermon was, in all respects, very remarkable; but, above all, for the faithful exposition which it gave of the doctrines of the Reformation. The text was, "I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." (1 Cor. ii. 2.) The Pastor and Professor Chenevière preached at noon in the same church.

The venerable assembly was composed of the various Deputies of the churches of Switzerland, and other parts, who met in three companies in the church de l'Auditoire. The first Conference, which was held on the Saturday, was occupied in fraternal salutations, and prayers for the Church at Geneva. Monday was spent in considering the means of reviving the Protestant churches. On Tuesday, the last Conference was held. After prayer, by the Rev. Pastor Miruglio, of Besançon, Pastor Bauty, one of Deputies of the venerable class at Yverdun et Orbe, spoke to a motion of order. He inquired after certain Pastors who were not present, and observed, that their presence would be worthy of the jubilee of 1835. M. Bauty then proposed, that a deputation from the Meeting be sent to Messrs. Gaussen, Merle, and Galland, to invite them to come and take a seat in the Conference, and there express freely their sentiments. After considerable discussion, the Rev. Mr. Hartley, Minister of the Church of England, gave an outline of the doctrines of his Church, embracing the fall of man, -the Deity of Jesus Christ,-the personality and divinity of the Holy Spirit, justification by faith, the fruits of the Spirit, the regeneration of the heart, &c. Mr. Hartley then proceeded to say, "I ought to proceed; but I beg pardon, gentlemen, for the boldness of my expressions. I respect you. I have the honour to be acquainted with some of you; and I consider it an honourable act, on your part, to permit me now to

express so freely my sentiments. I love Geneva. Every one knows how much the English love Geneva. When I return from a journey, and find myself in sight of the Jura, and look at Salive and the Lake, I say, 'Behold my country!' Judge, then, gentlemen, of the sorrow of the English, when we are constrained to believe, that Geneva is departing from us in the most important thing in the World,-religion! The majority of the Pastors of Geneva have renounced the great truths which I have already stated. We are most deeply afflicted with the thought. During this jubilee you have given the right hand of fellowship to the Rationalists of Germany, the Unitarians of England and America. We are distressed at this to the very last degree. To us, gentlemen, these truths appear to be of such importance, that, we believe, in abandoning them, your Church will be plunged into an abyss more profound than that of the Church of Rome. The Roman Church, it is true, has enshrouded in a mass of abuse and error these great truths, yet they do still, in some measure, exist; but in removing them, you remove the very foundation of Christianity, and leave us nothing of it but its morality. Hence, it is no longer a religion of salvation, but a mere system of morals. There is one thing more on which I wish to speak: it is the Confessions of Faith. Gentlemen, I say before you all, Perish ten thousand times all the Confessions of Faith in the world, from the very moment they are attempted to be put in the place of the Bible. Among us, Confessions of Faith are not the question, but faith itself. There exist among good and orthodox men divers sentiments upon the manner of using Confessions of Faith. This is a secondary affair. But I solemnly protest, in the face of all Europe, that we are influenced by the doctrines of the Bible, and by nothing else. We believe that the Bible signifies something; for what signifies the Bible, if we cannot say what it contains?

"O my God! pour out thy Holy Spirit upon this town of Geneva, upon its Pastors, and upon all the Protestant churches. Let thy Spirit enlighten our understandings, and change our hearts; and cause the kingdom of Jesus Christ to come in every part of the world, that we all, in this great day of religious revivals, may come to the same faith, and the same spirit of charity; for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."

Pastor Fontanés then said, "The question has been completely lost sight of. We are not here as a synod, called to discuss doctrines. I demand the order of the day."

Professor Duby presided. He closed the discussion, and put the question to the vote, when the motion of M. Bauty was carried.

The jubilee was also celebrated at the Oratoire, on Saturday evening. M. Bost delivered an address on the occasion; M. Galland preached on Sunday morning, after which the holy sacrament was administered; M. Dapples preached in the evening. On Monday three sermons were preached; namely, by M. R. Mellet at nine o'clock, by M. Hoffmann at noon, and by M. Burnier de Rolle in the evening.

RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLIES.

"O how good and how pleasant a thing it is, when brethren meet together in unity! There the Lord hath established his blessing, even life for evermore." We have rarely witnessed, in so lively a manner, the fulfilment of this promise of our God as in the glorious days of the 25th and 26th of August; in which were assembled around the brethren of the Evangelical Society of Geneva, Christians of different countries, and representatives from a great number of Christian societies of France and Switzerland.

We shall proceed to give our readers, from the brief notes we took on the spot, a feeble idea of the most interesting matters those assemblies offered.

On Tuesday, August 25th, at ten o'clock, the General Evangelical Society of Geneva met at the Oratoire, under the presidency of M. Cramer Audéoud. After a beautiful jubilee ode, (composed by M. Bost, upon several passages of Scripture, connected with the beautiful device of Geneva," Post tenebras lux,") M. Pastor R. Mellet opened the session by reading the word of God, and prayer. The President then pronounced a discourse, of which we can give only a few particulars. He adverted to the progress of the spirit of association in Chris tian works in general, and in particular of those enterprises undertaken by Evangelical Societies, which multiply so as to cause unspeakable joy in the hearts of the faithful. The canton of Berne, for example, though but recently acquainted with what is taking place elsewhere, now numbers seventeen Branches in various parts of the department, which are all

connected with the central Society of the chief place. The spirit of toleration, also, has made great progress in Switzerland at Soleure a Protestant chapel is about to be opened; Fribourg will probably follow this example; at Geneva the opposition to our evangelical labours appears to diminish.

The report of the Society during the third year of its existence was read by M. Pastor Gaussen. The blessings granted to the labours of this Society during this year have greatly surpassed those of the years preceding. It is the duty of the Committee to give the glory to God, and communicate the same to their brethren. We read in the Acts of the Apostles, that it was in this manner the Apostles acted. When Paul and Silas arrived at Antioch they assembled the church, and related all the things that God had done by them, and how he had opened to the Gentiles the door of faith. God has also made use of the Evangelical Society to bring souls from death unto life, and to open to them the door of faith.

1. The works undertaken at Geneva are,

The School of Theology, of which a special report has been prepared. The reporter confines himself simply to this subject, that all the blessings that have been conferred upon the Society have been the result and rewards of the faith of its members relative to the school.

The Oratoire has been opened about eighteen months. The Gospel is faithfully preached in it three times every Sunday, Many have found peace there: A great favour, adds the reporter, has just been granted us. After a long examination, and much fervent prayer, we have come to a grave resolution. It is to prepare the table of the Lord in this temple, where the holy sacrament has been administered once every month since Whitsuntide. The Lord graciously manifested his approbation of this reso lution, both before and after it was carried into effect. The number of catechumens, who are instructed by one of the Pastors, is much increased. The va rious schools which are under the care of the Society continue to prosper. Lessons in sacred music have been given to the adults this year. The Society has taken a lively interest in the numerous German inhabitants of Geneva, the Pastors of that nation not being sufficient in number to supply all their spiritual wants. Two sermons in German are preached in the Oratoire every week. A special service for the jubilee was also celebrated in the

Oratoire, which was not without its blessing.

The Religious Library now contains more than a thousand volumes, or pamphlets. The number of Bibles and Testaments which have been issued by the Society since its establishment is 24,924. An attempt has been made to circulate the Scriptures in the canton by colporteurs, the results of which are encouraging.

2. The labours of the Society out of Geneva consist in the distribution of Bibles and religious books, and the propa. gation of the Gospel in France. The Society, during this year, has employed twenty-one colporteurs, in ten depart

ments.

They have sold 491 Bibles, and 3,803 Testaments, and have given away a great number of religious tracts.

Four stations of Evangelists have been established in the department of Saône et Loire, at Châlons, Macon, Louhans, and Tournus. The anticipations and hopes which this work of evangelization had inspired have been greatly surpassed by the results. The work has had to encounter opposition; but now the way is made plain. The animosity of the Priests has reached its height, but this has only increased the distribution of Bibles, and the number of hearers of the Evangelists. These passing trials have also been blessed to the Committee. On the 1st of March last there was a deficiency of three thousand francs in the funds of the colporteurs' department, and a deficiency to the same amount in the Mission fund. Now, between the 1st and 31st of March, the day on which the accounts were made up, the Committee received for these two objects three hundred francs a day.

A verse of that beautiful hymn, "Jésus Intercesseur," was sung; after which M. Professor Steiger read an excellent Report of the Theological School, containing not only a detailed account for the current year, which ended at Easter, but likewise of the whole duration of this Institution, which has just finished the term of its first cycle of three years. Twenty-five students have regularly enjoyed, for one year at least, the benefit of solid and orthodox instruction. Thirteen of them have obtained prizes, and four are about to enter on the work of the ministry. M. Steiger finished by an appeal to parents and young people.

Formerly it was a source of happiness for rich and pious families to consecrate one of their sons to the ministry; and poor families also held it an honour to see one of their sons enter into this evan

M. Brenner, Minister, Deputy from the Society of "The Friends of Israel," at Bâsle, spoke next, and said, "You are occupied in promoting the kingdom of Christ at home and abroad. You do well. May the Lord bless your efforts! But forget not the poor Jews. Let there yet be a place in your hearts for them. You can do much for the Jews; and, in doing what you can for them, you shall be blessed in all your works, according to the promise of God to Abraham, I will bless them that bless thee."" Here M. Brenner introduced several passages of Scripture, in order to stimulate the zeal of the church in behalf of God's ancient people.

M. Peyrot, Pastor, from Jersey, had come two hundred and fifty leagues to see the brethren of Geneva, and to rejoice in their prosperity. He thanked them, that they had not remained deaf to the cries of France; and he pleaded with a zeal truly Christian the cause of evangelization in that great country.

M. Grandpierre, Pastor, and Director of the Missionary Institution at Paris, presented himself as a Deputy from the Evangelical Society of France. "Judging from a distance," said he, "of the members of the Society of Geneva, I did not understand you. I imagined that I saw in your movements precipitation and imprudence. I am come, I have seen, I have understood. What you have done is right. I feel myself at home with you. I find the Festival of the Reformation is here, because I see here the faith of the Reformers, the spirit of the Reformers, and the works of the Reformers. It is not enough, in celebrating the Reformation, to strike off medals, compose national airs, and publish pamphlets; we must show forth the fruits of the Reformation. Those fruits I find here: I see them in this school of Theology, in which you are faithful to the doctrines of the Reformation. I see them, also, in the work of distributing the Bible in France, and in your endeavours to evangelize that country,-works resembling those done at Geneva three centuries ago. Here, finally, I see none but brethren: among us are no debates, no discussions; we are all agreed; we 3 M

of life, and persevering. Let us not live too exclusively in our own circles; let us participate in the state of the world; and let us learn to put ourselves, as it were, in their place. On the other hand, let us not hold too much with the opinions of the world, nor even with those of Christians; let us maintain an independent spirit." Mr. Wilks, in concluding, made several communications relative to the state of France. France employs ten Missionaries, eight schoolmasters, and five colporteurs. There are requests for double the number of each; but suitable men cannot be found. She moves forward by faith, and without anxiety, as the following will prove :On the 31st of last July the Society was in debt 26,500 francs, and had in hand only 1,500.

The Missionary Society at Schaffhouse not being able to send a Representative, Professor Steiger read a letter from the Committee of that Society, stating that the members took a lively interest in the labours of their brethren at Geneva; and that they had resolved to set apart that evening for prayer and supplication, both for the town of Geneva, and for the Evangelical Society.

Dr. Baird, from America, spoke in English, one of his assistants interpret ing for him. He said, from Geneva America has derived her system of theology; hence she takes the most profound interest in the labours and enterprises at Geneva for the revival of the Christian faith. The Doctor spoke of the truly Christian and gigantic works begun and carried on in the United States within the last ten years. religious associations there employ more than a thousand persons to spread the knowledge of the Gospel at home, and above a thousand more among those who are in a state of pagan darkness. Seventy-five colleges have been founded; and two thousand young men, supported chiefly by voluntary subscriptions, are preparing for the ministry.

The

Dijon,

M. de Frontin, Pastor at returned thanks, in the name of the Pastors of the French Evangelical Society, for all that had been done, and that was intended to be done, for the spiritual good of France. He prayed for the blessing of God upon the members of the Committee.

to the wants of the people, and form depóts every where, so as to inundate the whole town.

A verse of the hymu, "Jésus Intercesseur," was then sung, when the Minister, M. Paul Burnier, of Morges, concluded with prayer and thanksgiving to God. The blessing was then pronounced, and the session rose at half-past two o'clock.

The next day, Wednesday, at ten o'clock, the greater part of the Deputies, Ministers, and hearers assembled again in the Oratoire, to confer respecting the union of the Religious Societies of Switzerland, under the presidency of Colonel Tronchin. The Representatives of the greater part of the Swiss Societies spoke, and related what God had graciously done for them in their respective countries, in promoting his kingdom of grace. We must confine ourselves to a few particulars.

M. Pastor and Professor Kind, of Coire, gave an account of the spiritual wants of his countrymen, the Grisons. M. L. Recordon, Assistant at Beaulmes, requested that a collection should be made for the brethren, the Grisons. The proposition was adopted, and more than two hundred francs were gathered, and put into the hands of M. Kind. M. Dapples, Pastor, and President of the Missionary Society at Lausanne, gave some interesting information respecting the Mission in Canada. Colonel Saladin read a very gratifying Report of the Ladies' Schools Society for China and the Indies; and, also, of the Committee for the Evangelization of the North of Africa. The funds for this work are already collected, and the French Government is disposed to favour the object. Every thing is ready, but a suitable Missionary. The Committees of Toulouse and Geneva have sought, but have not found one.

M. Grandpierre, Pastor, also gave a pleasing account of the labours of the French Missionaries in the South of Africa, which account he had received in a letter from Paris, since the commencement of the session. The following are the particulars of the communication:The Missionary Lemue baptized at Christmas last eight Buschuanas, the first fruits of his ministry at Motito, after a long and rigid trial, which fully proved the reality of their conversion. The fierce Muselkatzi has requested that Missionaries may be sent to his tribe. English and French Missionaries have conferred together on the subject, and have agreed to grant his request; and one

M. F. Chavannes, Chaplain of the Oratoire, at Lausanne, said, "The Gospel must run through Geneva; it must touch the hearts of all who attend this chapel. In order to that, it is necessary to print a great number of tracts adapted

The