It is the shortest day of the year in this southern half of the globe, and the fact impresses on my mind what a terrible distance" (to quote the words of an old letter from a father in England to his son here, which I came across the other day) separates us. I find it difficult to realise that I am really minister of Mill Hill Chapel, on the other side of the world. It seems to me as if that belonged to a past life, that I had died to it and begun a new life in a new world. And this I feel so much the more because I am no stranger here, come to see the land and depart. I have been received everywhere with the welcome as of an old friend, such a welcome as no introductions or reports could have obtained for me. More honour of course I might have had, though I have had more than I merit, if I had come with the fame of a distinguished writer or politician; but I should not have received the heartfelt greeting which I have had from Unitarians, who in their isolation here, welcome me as a representative of those who hold with them and worship as they do in the mother-land.

I find things are very different here to what they are in Adelaide. It is like passing from Leeds to London, and Unitarianism does not gain by the change. Indeed, in many respects, the single congregation in this great city of more than half-a-million inhabitants, reminds me of what I have observed in some of our London churches. There are men and women of the highest character and ability connected with it. Mr. and Mrs. page 16 Henry Giles Turner, who are most kindly entertaining us during our three weeks stay here, are well-known throughout the city, eminent in all good works, and among the leaders in all movements which have for their aim the physical, moral, and intellectual improvement of its inhabitants—they are of the men and women who do honour to any congregation of which they are members. They have for minister a graduate of the University of Oxford, a man of more than ordinary learning, and one who spares no labour in the cause, but they remain few and there is a lack of young people. One difficulty, far greater here than anywhere else I know of, is the wide extent of the city. There is plenty of room in Australia and no crowding, in itself an excellent thing, but a great drawback to the assembling of the scattered members of one religious faith in a common centre. So even if the elders come in four or five miles by train or tram the younger members of the family are apt to be left behind. However, here Unitarians have made themselves a spiritual home, just in the shadow of the great Cathedral which the Roman Catholics have built for themselves, and I do not fear but that they will hold on in spite of many discouragements.

I have looked upon it as my chief business, the purpose for which I have been sent here, to put good heart into minister and people, and if I leave them any the brighter and stronger for my visit I shall count that I am amply repaid. I have had large attendances at lectures on secular subjects, but the religious lectures have not proved attractive. For one thing it is mid- page 17 winter here at present, and halls and churches are not heated, and the weather is uncertain, altogether it is much more safe and comfortable to spend the evenings at home, unless indeed you go to one of the theatres which are much frequented; but there is little to remind one of winter, except that it is sometimes chilly and that trees imported from Europe are of course bare of leaves. The sunshine is bright, and from where I write I am looking out into the garden where are trees laden with oranges and roses, and arum lilies and flowering shrubs on every side.

Dearly beloved friends of another world, as it sometimes seems of another life, there is nothing here to remind me of Leeds and you, except only the sun and moon which I look at thinking how you see them too, for the stars are all strange, and even Orion is not visible now—but you are in my heart and on my mind, and the one hope I cherish in all my wanderings is that I may return with increased intelligence and renewed power to spend what last years are left to me, in better service than I have ever yet been able to render.

C. H.

P.S.-I was to have given a lecture to-night "On the History of English Unitarianism," but a thunderstorm came on before evening, and though my host drove me five miles to the Church in the rain the lecture did not come off. There were just ten present, nine men and Mrs. H. G. Turner, and as it was suggested that I should give up the lecture, and I felt that the damp and chilly mortals who had come to hear me would be much better at home, I consented. But it is the first page 18 time I have ever failed to do what I had undertaken, except when absolutely prevented by illness. I have before now gone forty miles and addressed seven people. After all, a man ought to feel honoured if his fellow-men put themselves to inconvenience to come and listen to him speaking, and whether there be two or three, or two or three hundred, is a secondary consideration, if only they are attentive and interested and get some profit in return.