on our school-labours occurred within the last few days. The little boy whom his parents were bribed to take from the school some time ago, with his sisters, became dangerously ill in October with spinal disease. A protestant, calling on the mother, naturally went up to see the boy. He was at times in great agony; but as soon as it subsided he appeared calm and resigned. She asked him if he was afraid to die? No,' was the answer. Why not, Charley?' 'Because I shall go to Jesus,' was the reply. How do you know that you will go to Jesus?' she continued. Because,' he said, Jesus has said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven". The mother of a family, who sent her children to school by stealth, has been either cursed or called out from the Roman altar here. The poor creature is greatly frightened, and has withdrawn all her children. When the priest asked her why she sent her children to that school, she replied, 'I didn't know, my lord, that it was any harm.' One of the priests, visiting some Romanist families last week, called at the house of a convert from Romanism. He asked, among other things, if the children went to any school? The woman of the house told him they did, and the name of the school. Why do you send them there?' he demanded. Because it is the father's wish, sir,' said the woman; and I think it is better to send them there than to have them running about the street.' 'Indeed it is not,' said he: you had better let them run about the streets, and steal for their livelihood, than send them to such a place'" (Banner of the Truth in Ireland). of these neglected outcasts. I never felt myself so little, with all my honours, as I did then. I was humbled and rebuked, and ashamed of the little I had done. I said, in the enthusiasm of the moment, and I see no reason why I should unsay it, That man is an honour to human nature, and deserves the tallest monument in Great Britain.' This cobbler greatly interested me. I sought out his history, and found it. Listen to how be sought to mitigate suffering humanity. He was not only benevolent, but a genius. He won them with guile. He went out in search of these neglected ones, not with the power of the policeman, but a potato. He well knew an Irishman's native love for a potato. And so he was to be seen pursuing the unwilling urchin, bolding beneath his nose a smoking potato-itself the very picture of an Irishman, hot in temper and ragged in coat. He was the means of saving in this way no less than 500. And, when I think of the day when honour shall be given to whom honour is due, I fancy I shall see some there, to whose memories monuments have been raised, dividing the great from the small in the midst of the grave. But this man will be found standing out before them all, to receive a crown at the hands of him who will say, 'Inasmuch as ye did it unto these, the least of my brethren, ye did it unto me.' And, now, I think it a providence that this Ragged-school cause was not cradled in St. James's, nor in the palaces of our nobles, nor the mansions of the great. They have honours enough. I like to see the poor man sharing honours with them, the poor proving what I know to be the fact-the poor man is the poor man's best friend. I have another and a better reason still IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS.-At the beginfor arguing in behalf of this cause for which I ning of the seventh year of the existence of the am to appeal to you to-night. I do not know society, my readers will be glad to possess a sumhow many thousands are here; but among those mary of its funds and its operations. The result present there is an amount of wealth, talent, and cannot fail to produce in every Christian heart a influence he had not. John Pounds is dead: he grateful sense of the mercy of God, in so rapidly is dead, but still he speaketh; not with the tongue extending the instrumentality for his glory com-so I will speak for him. And this is the speech mitted to this society, in shedding abroad the I will put into his mouth, If I, without fame, bright and health-giving light of his gospel; and without name, without influence, without money, it may well encourage us in our prayers and exerthe sweat of labour standing on this brow, and tions for the full consummation of this glorious with these hands earning my daily bread-if I work. "In the year 1849, the first of the socould do-and I did so much, what can you do? ciety's existence, the committee received £4,674 'Go thou and do likewise',' And now, sir, I 163. 8d., and expended £4,035 2s. 10d. With must correct an error you made just now, when this they opened 11 missions, and employed 14 you said that to Scotland belonged the honour of ordained missionaries, and 97 other agents-in all commencing the ragged-school cause. I say, to an 111. They had 29 schools, containing 2,110 chilEnglish John Pounds is due that honour; and to dren; and 10 of the school-rooms were used for an English nobleman belongs the honour of divine worship. In the year 1850, the committee having headed this noble enterprise. To Scot-received £6,284 16s. 3d., and expended £6,783 land, however, belongs a no-less-noble honour. For, when you in England left the standard in the dead man's hand, Scotland claims the honour of plucking it out of his hand, and unfurling it to the world. In the person of my friend, sheriff Watson, was found the first successor of this noble man, who established the first raggedschool in Aberdeen; which, like the handful of corn on the top of the mountain, was shaken, and spread from valley to valley in all that country; and in London alone there are no less than 130 ragged-schools." IRELAND.-Fruits and fears of the schools established by the "Irish Church Missions Society." "A most cheering instance of God's blessing Os. 8d. With this they occupied 18 missions, and employed 13 missionaries, with 141 other agents, in all 154. They had 50 schools, containing 2,532 children; and 13 of the school-rooms were used for divine worship. In the year 1851, the committee were entrusted with £12,688 13s. 1d., and expended £11,756 10s. 3d. With this they occupied 23 missions, and employed 30 missionaries, with 257 other agents, in all 287. They had 69 schools, containing 2,941 children; and 18 of the school-rooms were used for divine service. In the year 1852, the committee were entrusted with £28,931 19s. 6d., and expended £23,831 1s. 3d. With this they occupied 33 inissions, and employed 44 missionaries, with 359 other agents, in all 403. They had 81 schools, containing 3,572 children; | are glad.' In September, 1853, the writer 'took and 22 of the school-rooms were used for divine service. In this year also some of the important fruits of the society's operations began to be manifested in the erection of missionary churches, four of which were built and consecrated. In the year 1853, the committee were entrusted with £37,182 13s. 8d., and expended £38,778 2s. 8d. In the course of this year the alliance and union of the Irish societies took place, which necessarily had a great effect in extending the field of the operations. The number of missions was increased to 44, of ordained missionaries to 59, of other agents to 487, making in all 546. The society maintained 98 schools, with 4,962 children in them. This year 6 more missionary churches were added to those which had previously been the result of the society's labours, making 10 new churches. In the year 1854, four more churches have been completed, making 14 missionary churches raised in the last three years; and, besides these, 25 of the society's school-rooms are used as churches for divine service. There are now 112 schools, with 6,983 children. But the committee have been constrained to withdraw from 3 missions, still maintaining 41; and to lessen the number of missionaries to 56, and of other agents to 462, making in all 518." charge for a while of the parish of St. Andrew's. He removed there in October, and has been doing the duties there ever since. My parishes,' he says, 'have been quiet and orderly, doing their duty to God and one another, in a becoming manner. They have caused me no unnecessary care or trouble. And here I should acknowledge the debt of gratitude which we owe to God for his many mercies. We have enjoyed a large measure of health and prosperity. Since my arrival I have had 28 baptisms, 17 marriages, and only 10 deaths. This is, according to my views of God's moral government of the world, the greatest proof which he can give us of his favour. My soul clings to the blessings and promises of the Old Testament; and I preach and affirm constantly that, if nations, families, and individuals will serve the Lord with sincere hearts and willing minds, and consider his sabbaths, his ordinances, and his word as a delight, the joy and rejoicing of their hearts, he will give them rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, and fill their hearts with joy and gladness. Where God is, no ill can come; and he will drive far from them sword, famine, and pestilence. According to our faith it shall be unto us. Every where we find the Indians ready to receive civilization; but it too THE BIBLE AND THE RAILWAY.-One of the la Prairie last March, 'We understand a part of often turns out, as an old man told me at Portage most interesting, and certainly the most remarka. ble of meetings, was that of the Chester Rail- your religion perfectly. We see that to build way Bible Association, held at the station in the is for our good; but the other part of it, going houses, rear cattle, cultivate the ground-all this second-class waiting-room, the general manager to church, saying prayers, and talking about an Occupying the chair. The report stated that, other world, that no one has ever seen-this is since the commencement of the association nine the mysterious part, that I fear none can learn of months before, nearly £30 had been collected in the old men, nor will ever understand. Perhaps bible subscriptions and free contributions. There is a depository at the station; and all the proceed-derstand that, by taking them into school, and you may make the children wise enough to unings are conducted by the officials of the railway. teaching them to say prayers while they are The meeting at such a place, while the trains young. The unconverted Indian believes his were arriving and departing, was indeed a novel sight, and may be regarded as a testimony to the body the best part of him, and never doubts his value of the bible, and an admission of the claims physician which the benevolent have sent him, judgment; and, in forming his opinion of the of the society which circulates it. May every he says, 'How foolish! This is not the way we great railway station in the kingdom have such an association, and such a meeting! (Correspondence of the Church Mis RUPERT'S-LAND.-Red River Settlement, August 4, 1854.-"The new church, which was an object of my solicitude when I last wrote, has been carried on successfully, and is now so far advanced that we have the prospect of finishing it within ourselves. The walls, roof, tower, doors, windows, and floor are all finished. The ceiling is prepared, the plaster is made ready for laying on, and all expenses are paid up to this date. We have now on hand the subscriptions of James, Hunter, Cowley, and Mason, which amount to £20. We have also the fruits of a sermon preached last Sunday morning by archdeacon Hunter, in St. Andrew's, which promises to be very prolific. Several have expressed their regret that they had nothing to give at the time, but hope to be able to assist in some way or other before the work is finished. One put in the box a promissory note for 10s. 6d., another for 6s., another for 2s. 6d. One Indian, who has been tossed up and down in every quarter of Rupert's-Land, has promised £1, as soon as he can lay his hands upon it. Thus 'God hath done great things for us, whereof we have it' sionary Society). RELIGIOUS FANATICISM A TOOL OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.-" Peter the Great deprived the church of most of its privileges, on account of the political use to which they were put; and perhaps his successors have been unwilling to give too much influence to a body of men forming so very numerous a portion of the population, and possessing a great deal of power over an ignorant and superstitious people. Of this power the government makes use to its own advantage, as an instrument by which to support its domination over the nation in the present crisis, and by its means contributes to the fanaticism now so rife in Russia, by wickedly appealing to the weak points in the national character, so as to make the aggression on Turkey wear the semblance of a religious war. Not only are prayers now daily offered in the Russian churches against the English heretics,' but even pretended miracles are resorted to, in order to make the people believe in the sympathy of heaven. A gentleman told me a short time ago, that he had that same morning been present in one of the gymnasie, in St. Petersburg, where the priest belonging to the institution, when giving his wonted lecture on religion, informed the young men and boys there assembled that God had vouchsafed, in a wonderful manner, to show his gracious approdation of the imperial cause, by performing a miracle in the sight of men. He went on to say that a child had been born during the previous week, which, to the astonishment of all beholders, when only three days old, arose and uttered prophecies concerning the present war. Of course this extraordinary little monitor only said what was favourable to the Muscovite arms, and to the glorification of the emperor and members of the imperial family. Think of the wickedness of lying in the face of heaven to forward the ambition of one man! But this man, be it remembered, is the head of the Russo-Greek church, and is considered as infallible in his spiritual fonctions by the Greek clergy as the pope of Rome is by the Romanists" (The Englishwoman in Russia, 1855). WALLACHIA. Thirst for the "Book of Books."-"Bucharest, 7th Dec., 1854: Now, as our enemy is far away from here, I hope that in the course of four or five months I shall be able to begin the circulation of the Wallachian New Testament, now about to be printed. The people are not only willing, but most anxious, to be in possession of the word of God. Since I sold the last copy, not less than 300 persons called for New Testaments, offering me double the price which I used to sell them for. There is a vast field open. Much can be done, and comparatively little, very little has been done, for the four millions of inhabitants of Wallachia and Moldavia" (Letter from the rev. S. Mayers). CHINA.-Canton. "For some weeks large portions of the surrounding country have been in the possession of organized bands of men, avowedly hostile to the present government, and evidently bent on the capture of the city itself. The greatest precautions have been adopted by the authorities for its preservation. Almost every day engagements take place between the troops and the rebels,' resulting, as far as we are able to ascertain, in alternate successes and defeats; and, while this mode of warfare is carried on with the foe outside, the gates and streets are strictly guarded, all suspected persons are apprehended and summarily beheaded, and a system of close surveillance is kept up. It is generally supposed, however, that eventually the city will be taken, although weeks, and even months, may elapse before this occurs. In anticipation of this catastrophe, many rich families have already fled, and the women and children of those constituting the middle class have been removed to places considered more secure. As the natural consequence of this state of affairs, trade, both native and foreign, is much impeded: the usually-crowded streets may now be traversed with comparative ease, and a general air of gloom and apprehension seems to pervade every place. The usual course of missionary operations, too, is interrupted to some extent: the schools are nearly deserted, the boys having been removed by their anxious parents: even the hospitals are much less frequented; but good congregations may still, I am happy to report, be gathered to listen to the voice of the preacher. Mr. Cox and myself are, meantime, peaceably pursuing our studies as diligently as the present hot season will permit. ... Two gentlemen and myself had a providential escape from some lawless bands of villagers. We had been visiting some celebrated hills, about thirty miles westward of Canton, and the summer resort of many poets and literati. The locality had not been before explored by Europeans, I believe, and presented many spots of natural beauty, and, according to Chinese annals, of classic fame. I was engaged in missionary observations. Never will the view taken from one of those heights be forgotten. A wide plain stretched away on every hand, far as the eye could reach: the noble river flowed deeply and rapidly along: the highest cultivation was carried out: channels and water-courses intersected the whole flat for irrigating the rice-fields; and everywhere the spring freshness and cheering green of rising crops were visible. All this was pleasant, and, to one from the narrow, crowded city thoroughfares, most exhilarating. But the prospect had other objects too. A range of villages encircled the hills; and thousands of people live in them. Beyond the river lay another range; and, throughout the whole extent that lay before us, villages, hamlets, and townships rose up in appathe district. And, as the solitary missionary rently-unceasing clusters. Population crowds stands amidst such vast multitudes of souls-souls among whom Christ is not named-the effect is almost overpowering. What are we among so many?' the heart exclaims; and unbelief would make us fearfu!. But no! the prophetic word of God is sure: Thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged, because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee: the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee'" (Extracts from the letters of missionaries). Most gracious and merciful Lord, who so lovedst the world, that thou gavest thine only-begotten Son as the propitiation for our sins, put thy Spirit within me, that I may love thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my strength, and with all my mind, and that I may show forth my love by conforming myself, in all things, and in all places and cirthrough Jesus Christ, my blessed Lord and Sacumstances, to thy holy will and commandments, viour. Amen. "It is not enough for you to be called members of Christ, children of God, or inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. God says that he has loved you, and that he requires honour and fear in return. You profess to call him Lord; but where is the obedience? You profess to call him Father; but where is the honour you pay him? And this is the way in which the Lord reasoned with Israel: "A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a Father (as thou callest me), where is mine honour? and, if I be a Master (as thou professest that I am), where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts."" In other words, God says to yourselves, "If you claim the privilege, you must yield the service." Formality is not enough the mere saying, "Lord, Lord," is no pledge or guarantee that you will enter the kingdom of heaven. Brethren, it is "I DID MOURN AS A DOVE:" BY THE REV. THOMAS WILLIAM THOMPSON, M.A., ISA. xxxviii. 14. "I did mourn as a dove," IT is folly to deny that the possessions of the world are often the means of lightening life's sorrows, and of increasing its enjoyments. A state of poverty is a state of suffering. Deprivation is uncongenial to human nature. What experience teaches us in this respect the word of God allows. Prosperity is recognized by it as a subject for gratitude; and it is said, "The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich." But that riches in themselves are insufficient to make us happy is equally undeniable. They cannot give ease to the mind that is distressed: they cannot bribe the messengers of disease: they cannot defer the day of death. At all seasons, the limitation of their power is obvious; but at no time does it appear more strikingly than when the shaft of death pierces the purple of the nobleman, or removes the diadem from the temples of the monarch; when the king of terrors gives challenge to an earthly potentate, and he finds that "there is no discharge in that war." To a rich man it was said, "Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee"; and in the sight of a monarch, surrounded by every splendour and luxury, re such a declaration as this which should make a man look, not to one action or two, not to one day of his life or two, but to his habits, to every action and every day of his life. Yes; it should set me to inquire, Are we really trying to do all that the Lord calleth upon us to do? Are we reverencing the ordinances which he hath himself appointed? Are we endeavouring to keep his sabbaths-the days which he especially set apart for his own work and worship? And I might go through all the commandments in the same manner; but this is sufficient for my purpose: I ask you, whether it is in this manner that you are endeavouring to serve the Lord? Brethren, it is not argument that I am now using: I am not seeking to explain difficulties: it is sim-joicing amidst song and revelry, there came ply a statement of this particular prophet, who is applying the very truth which he had been laying down before. He has declared that God has loved them. He taxes the people with not loving God; and they reply that they do love him. Upon this he says, 'Show it. If I am the Father whom you say you love, where is mine honour? If I am the Master, whom you profess to call me, where is my fear?' ... Is it too much, then, to ask you, for me to turn to you, and ask you whether you live to God? Is it too much to urge and press upon you to show your gratitude, by your obedience to his word?" (Rev. Montague Villiers). "Lord, let me see thy hand through life and death, Where'er on earth my wandering feet may rove, And humbly serve thee till my latest breath, And love thee with an everlasting love." H. S. forth fingers of a man's hand and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall. "In that night was Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, slain." The history connected with our text will furnish us with another instance. Hezekiah was king of Judah. It was said of him, "The Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth." But history, speaking of a later date, tells us that "in those days Hezekiah was sick unto death." Happy and joyous was he once. Now the voice of weeping is heard in his noble palace: "Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent. I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me." "Human help had failed him. All that he had, spent upon physicians, would have made him nothing better. There was, however, a means of rescue still remaining. He betook himself to God: he poured out his complaint before him he showed him of his trouble. Riches would not have profited in the day of death; but the God in whose hand our breath is could delay the execution which was threatened. That God who stayed the sun, that it "hasted not to go down about a whole day," hindered the shadows of death from enclosing Hezekiah. Though the sentence had gone forth, "Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live," it was recalled by the announcement, "I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears; behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years." Our text is a part of a memorandum made by Hezekiah," when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness"; a portion of a writing to "bring to remembrance"; a line out of a record, against forgetting in the days of light the darkness that had overpassed. His tongue was filled with praise; and he wished it never to escape his grateful recollection, that, whereas his dwelling resounded with the voice of joy and health, once he did "mourn as a dove." Our business, in discoursing upon this text, will be to consider some causes why the former state of the spirit of Hezekiah may be your own, and then to suggest some relief and remedies. Let us pray the Spirit of consolation that, amidst all our sorrows, by patience and comfort of the scriptures, we may have hope, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour. I. This image of mourning as a dove is not confined to this one passage. We find it in a later chapter in this prophecy. It occurs also in the seventh chapter of Ezekiel. The propbet is there foretelling Israel's desolation. He then describes the sorrowing condition of that portion of them which should "escape the edge of the sword," who should save their lives by flight: "They that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning every one for his iniquity." one for his iniquity." Again, we have a touching picture drawn by the pencil of the prophet Nahum. Desolation is threatened to Nineveh; and the captivity of its queen is described. The conqueror is represented as having subdued the city; and the queen is led out to him, by her maids of honour, all mourning over the calamity of their royal mistress. They are striking upon their breasts, as though their breasts were tabors, in token of their wretchedness: “Huzzab (i. e., the queen) shall be led away captive. She shall be brought up; and her maids shall lead her with the voice of doves, taboring upon their breasts" (Nah. ii. 7). Now the plaintive mourning notes of the dove we will suppose to be descriptive of various classes of men of sorrow. We will begin with those mourning from the same cause as the author of our text. It was pining sickness which wounded the monarch's spirit, and the prospect which it presented to him of certain dissolution. He found trouble and heaviness: all the night made he his bed to swim: he watered his couch with his tears: the gush of health had left him, and his heart and his strength failed. You are tried with similar affliction. You are made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed you. When you lie down, you say, "When shall I arise, and the night be gone?" You are full of tossings to and fro, to the dawning of the day. Though cases so extreme be rare among those who can come up to the house of the Lord, they may have occurred in your past experience, and their likenesses may be re-produced. "If a man live many years, and rejoice in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many." The seeds of disease may be embedded in your flesh: the mouth of burning fever may breathe fire into your blood: sudden accident may break all your bones: your arm may be clean dried up, and your right eye utterly darkened. In those seasons, whenever they arrive, you will "mourn as a dove." If, while as a dove you mourn plaintively, your mourning be dove-like because it is meek and submissive, still your mourning will be real. "No chastisement for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous." And, if you are tried with no other bodily affliction, there remains the burden of old age. If by reason of strength you reach fourscore years, yet will your strength then be labour and sorrow. "And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem? I am this day fourscore years old; and can I discern between good and evil? Can thy servant taste what I eat and what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore, then, should thy servant be a burden unto my lord the king?" Another source of mourning is the untowardness of worldly circumstances. Some who have scanty means have never known much prosperity. They cannot fully sympathize in their grief with those who have been acquainted with better days. Others of you can enter into all its painfulness. Your nest was made in the cleft of a rock. You lived high above all anxious thought for the morrow. You never dreamed of the inquiry "What shall I eat, or what shall I drink, or wherewithal shall I be clothed?" The hand of God has reached you, and plucked you |