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AFRICAN CONGREGATIONS.

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our lives; if so, His will be done! | write next mail if we live—if not, Should I be called to lay down my you will hear from some other source. life, do not grieve, dear sister, that Your affectionate sister, I came here, for most joyfully will I die for Him who laid down His life for me."

The last sentence in the letter is "Safe yet this morning; we are now trying to get a boat. Can only say good-bye, pray for us; will

"E. FREEMAN."

And they did get a boat; but, alas! as they were escaping down the river, their boats were seized, and the whole party, consisting of four missionaries, with their wives and children, were cruelly murdered.

AFRICAN CONGREGATIONS.

Ir is difficult for us to form any idea of the difficulties which missionaries meet with among savage tribes. Dr Livingstone mentions a people in the desert of South Africa who will listen respectfully enough while they are being addressed, "but," says he, "when we kneel down and address an Unseen Being, the position and the act often appear to them so ridiculous, that they cannot refrain from bursting into uncontrollable laughter. After a few services, however, they get over this tendency."

Fancy how a missionary's heart must sink within him, when his prayers to the great God are listened to with bursts of laughter; and this not because they are scoffing at the new religion, but because prayer is to them such a strange, new thing.

Dr Livingstone was once present when another missionary attempted

to sing among a wild tribe of Bechuanas who had no idea of music, and they laughed so much that the tears actually ran down their cheeks. Nearly all their thoughts are directed to the supply of their bodily wants, and this has been the case with the race for ages.

When Dr Livingstone was among the Makololos, who are a much less savage people, things were but little better. He says:

"At our public religious services, the Makololo women always behaved with decorum from the first, except at the conclusion of the prayer. When all knelt down, many of those who had children, in following the example of the rest, bent over their little ones; the children, in terror of being crushed to death, set up a simultaneous yell, which so tickled the whole assembly that there was often

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POETRY-THE STRANGER BOY AND HIS HAPPY DEATH.

a subdued titter, to be turned into a hearty laugh as soon as they heard the Amen. Long after we had settled at Mabotsa, when preaching on the most solemn subjects, a woman might be observed to look round, and on seeing a neighbour seated on her dress, would give her a hunch with

the elbow to make her move off; the other would return it with interest, and perhaps say, "Take the nasty thing away, will you!' Then three or four more would begin to hustle the first offenders, and the men to swear at them all, by way of enforcing silence."

Poetry.

THE STRANGER BOY AND HIS HAPPY DEATH.
A TRUE STORY.

ONE Sabbath morning, when the bells
Peal'd softly through the air,
Bidding the weary sons of men
Meet in the house of prayer,
A little ragged country boy,

Who from his home had stray'd,
From careless curiosity

The call to church obey'd.

He listen'd to the praise and prayer
With grateful, glad surprise;
While on the minister of God

He fix'd his wond'ring eyes.

The sermon told how Christ had died
To set poor sinners free-
"His own right hand, His holy arm,
Had got the victory."

The boy drank in the earnest words
Which from the preacher fell,
Of sinners young as he, redeem'd
By Christ from sin and hell.
The minister with pleasure mark'd
The boy's attentive face;

And he hasten'd down to speak to him--
But he had left the place.

Weeks roll'd away; each Sabbath morn
That boy in church was found,
Hearing with joyful eagerness
The gospel's welcome sound.
At length his seat was vacant there;
No more to church he came ;

And none could tell his humble home,
Nor even knew his name.

One stormy day, a stranger man,
With features rough and wild,
Came pleading that the minister
Would go to see his child.

Five tedious miles, through wind and rain,
God's servant quickly went;

For, like his blessed Lord, his heart

On deeds of love was bent.

He reach'd a low and wretched hut,
Scarce fit for human kind,

And there, upon a bed of straw,
The dying child reclined.

He smiled and raised his dying hand,
And said with quiet joy,

"His own right hand, His holy arm, Have got the victory."

Thus did he glorify Christ's name
With his expiring breath;
His hand fell lifeless at his side,

His eyes were closed in death.
It was that boy--that ragged boy,
So friendless and unknown,
Whom God had gather'd to His fold
And seal'd him for His own.

Now, let us all, both young and old,
For whom the Saviour rose,
Sing with believing contrite hearts,
His conquest o'er His foes!
Oh, like that poor but happy boy,
Let this our glory be-
"His own right hand, His holy arm,
Have got the victory."

-Ragged School Mag.

Price 6d. per doz. or 3s. 6d. per 100; 20 copies sent free by post for 10d., paid in advance. Published by GALL & INGLIS, 6 George Street, Edinburgh, HOULSTON & WRIGHT, London.

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"By the grace of God I am what I am."-1 Cor. xv. 19. FAR away in the southern part of the world, in the midst of wide seas, many beautiful little islands are found. Their shores are lined with coral rocks. Over the valleys the May 1858.

bread-fruit, cocoa-nut, and palm trees spread their boughs; and around the high mountains vast numbers of most beautiful birds are seen flying, with their golden, green, and purple wings.

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These pleasant little spots are called the South Sea Islands. The people who live in them were once all idolaters; but the word of salvation has been carried to them, and many are now Christians.

Tupé was a chief in an island called Rarotonga. Before the missionaries went to his land he was active in the service of vain idols; but when he heard the Gospel, he believed it, threw away his false gods, and worked hard to build the first house of the Lord that was raised where he lived.

There were some who did not love Tupé, because he left the worship of the ido's, and they set fire to his house when he was asleep. His house was burned down; but God watched over him, and saved him. The fire caught the chapel, which was next door to Tupe's house, and that was also destroyed. Oh, teacher," he said, “the book of God is consumed! My house, my property, never mind; but oh, my book! my book! and oh, the house of God!"

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The next morning he called a meeting of the chiefs. "See," said he, "the house of God in ruins! what shall we do?" "Build it again," they replied. "Yes, friends, that is very good; when shall we begin?" "To-morrow," they cheerfully added. "Teacher," he said to the missionary, "be not cast down; let them burn, we will build; we will

tire them out; but, teacher, do not leave this wicked place." At sunrise the next morning Tupé and his friends were seen with their axes on their shoulders, on their way to the mountains, to cut wood to build another chapel.

Tupé loved the house of God; but at length he was too ill to go there. He was visited by the missionary, Mr Pitman. "Ah!" he said, "it is the will of God that my seat in His house should be empty. Here I sit, and hear the people sing; and oh, I wish to be there. I give myself to prayer. God is with me: He will not forsake me."

At another time he said, "Two portions of the Word of God afford me much delight: that in Isaiah, 'Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty; they shall behold the land that is very far off;' and the words of the Apostle Paul, ‘Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better.' I have no fear of death. Christ is my refuge." Then, in a little time, he added, “ Salvation is all of grace, through the blood of Christ." "In our Father's house we shall meet again," said his teacher. “Yes, we shall meet in glory-no more to part. Yes, to be for ever with Christ: I long to be with Him. I have done with the world; what remains is, to set all in

ADVENTURE WITH A LION.

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order, and think of the cause of It is painful; but the Lord's will be Christ."

66

"Is

Again the missionary went to see him, and asked, "How is it with your soul?" He answered, "All is well." "Do you find your Saviour your support in death?" "He is." the pathway clear?" Yes; the way is clear.' "Have you any fear?" "None; Christ is mine. I desire to see Him, and be with Him. I go you remain. I am going to God. I have done with the world: we have been long companions; now we part.

done." Some water was given him to drink, when he said, "I shall soon drink of the water of life.” He said much more to encourage his teacher, and to instruct his family, and then he died.

Had it not been for missions, Tupé would have lived without God, and died without hope. Let the account

of his life and happy death lead us to love the Gospel more, and increase our zeal in sending it to the heathen. -Teachers' Offering.

ADVENTURE WITH A LION.

THE following extract from Dr Livingstone's delightful book of travels, gives an account of the strange encounter he had with a lion, about seventeen years ago. He says,

"The Bakatla of the village Mabotsa were much troubled by lions, which leaped into the cattle pens by night, and destroyed their cows. They even attacked the herds in open day. This was so unusual an occurrence that the people believed they were bewitched-' given,' as they said, into the power of the lions by a neighbouring tribe.' They went once to attack the animals, but, being rather a cowardly people, compared with Bechuanas in general, on such

occasions, they returned without killing any.

"It is well known that if one in a troop of lions is killed, the others take the hint, and leave that part of the country. So, the next time the herds were attacked, I went with the people in order to encourage them to rid themselves of the annoyance, by destroying one of the marauders. We found the lions on a small hill, about a quarter of a mile in length, and covered with trees. A circle of men was formed round it, and they gradually closed up, ascending pretty near to each other. Being down below on the plain, with a native schoolmaster,

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