lled away, my hope of seeing
it realized strengthened apace. On this season of expected blessing we
seem at length to have entered. The religious movement is creeping
steadily along the whole of the west of Scotland. It has not acquired a
sudden or very powerful momentum. We are, so far as I can judge, in the
initiatory stage in all the points where the work has found a
settlement. A sound has gone out as from the Lord; the rumor travels on,
and in its course awakens the careless, opens the ear, quickens the
attention, and everywhere is making preparation for something coming.
This note of preparation is calling the people together. Their ear is
open to listen. In every place this hearing is bringing faith in its
train; men are turning to God; intensity is given to those silent cases
of conviction where for months or years there has been concern ebbing
and flowing with circumstances. Not a few of these have come to light
through their concern all at once ripening into deep distress. Forced
out of the old ruts in which they have moved, they are forced to venture
their all into the hands of Jesus, and are set at liberty. Such has been
the process at work here. I am continually falling in with solitary
cases, and a number of these have found peace. It would take far more
time than I can spare to record their history, and how they obtained
deliverance."

The total amount of the funds of the Institution which has been spent on
missionary operations since March 5, 1834, is L34,495, 3s. 4d.

There has been laid out for tracts and books, from May 26, 1859, to May
26, 1860, the sum of L1,650, 11s. 43/4d.; and there have been
circulated within the last year 2,562,001 tracts and books. The sum
total which has been expended on this object, since Nov. 19, 1840,
amounts to L8,064, 12s. 61/2d. The total number of all the tracts and
books which have been circulated since Nov. 19, 1840, is 11,493,174.

During the past year there were again circulated 676,600 tracts and
books more than during the year before. The great number of laborers for
God who have been raised up for service within the last two years in
various parts of the world, and the mighty working of the Spirit of God,
which has created in multitudes a desire gladly to receive tracts and
books, account for this. Nor is there in these two particulars a
decrease, but a continual increase. So great has been the call for
tracts that of late we have sent out repeatedly 100,000 i