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WOMAN IN INDIA.

"We don't understand such difficult subjects, we are women;' that was all they could say. Are you sorry that God did not make you men? Would you wish to be men ?'

"With the dull, heavy look of sullen despair, 'What would be the use of wishing?'

"You have nice cottages, may I go in?' At this their countenances brightened again. 'Oh, yes,' said the woman I met on the river side, 'do come in, you must come into my house, because I saw you first.' It was very neat, and had evidently been fresh plastered that very day with mud and water from the river. I observed that some very savoury dish was being cooked out in the courtyard; indeed the same operation was going forward in most of the gardens or compounds all round. 'What is the meaning of this?' I asked. 'Do you not cook in your own houses ?'

"Yes, usually; but this is a saint's day, and these fowls are being cooked to offer to our saint, Manik Peer.'

"But why cook them in your gardens ?'

"Things offered to saints must always be cooked in the open air.'

"Why must they?'

"We don't know.'

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"On a missionary journey near Culna, we witnessed sights one day which made me feel quite sick and faint, though comparatively used to them; and they had just the same effect on the children, who loathed their food, saying, 'Oh, mamma, let us go away from this horrible place.' These sights were the numerous human bodies floating down the Ganges, in various stages of decomposition; but we saw worse than this.

"As our boat drifted down the stream, I observed a little group, consisting of two men, a woman, and a child, who were sitting by the bank of the river, talking together very unconcernedly. When we came nearer, I perceived they had placed a poor young woman on the wet, muddy shore, with her feet touching the water; her mouth was besmeared with the sacred earth, and on her eyes they occasionally poured a little Ganges water. My hope was, that the poor creature was already dead; and Ram Chondro, the catechist, who was with us, called out, 'Of what disease did that woman die?'

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“People say that is the right way.' | ing for. As soon as the breath "Who was Manik Peer.'

leaves her body, we shall throw her

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POETRY-DEEDS OF KINDNESS.

corpse into the river, and return fine!' they exclaimed. 'Take her home.'

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"Ram Chondro jumped on shore in a moment; he had studied native medicine, and understood cholera cases well. Although you have placed that poor thing's feet in the cold water,' he exclaimed, 'they are neither cramped nor blue; she would recover if you took her home, and tended her carefully; take her out of the water directly.'

"They shook their heads. 'No, thank you; when we want your advice, we will ask it, till then, leave us alone.'

"I called to the catechist, and said, 'Ask them if they will let us take the sick woman into our boat; we will care for her, and take her with us to Bhowanipore.' had heard me.

to Bhowanipore, and make her a Christian! No, indeed, that won't do.' So we were obliged to leave her to her inhuman relatives. It was in great sadness we did so; Ram Chondro came on board again, and we pursued our way. A few hours afterwards, without doubt, the spirit of that heathen woman ascended to stand before its Maker, while her body became a prey to vultures and alligators.

"The Hindoos make it a point never to carry home again a sick person whom they have once brought to the Ganges to die, except in very rare instances; for 'the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty;' but THE ENTRANCE OF GOD'S WORD GIVETH

The men
'Oh, yes; all very | LIGHT.”

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Suppose the glist'ning dewdrop upon the grass should say,

"What can a little dewdrop do? I'd better roll away;"

The blade on which it rested before the day was done,

Without a drop to moisten it, would wither in the sun.

Suppose the little breezes, upon a sunny day, Should think themselves too small to cool the traveller on his way;

Who would not miss the smallest and softest ones that blow,

And think they made a great mistake if they were talking so?

How many deeds of kindness a little child may do!

Although it has so little strength, and little wisdom too.

It wants a loving spirit, much more than
strength, to prove

How many things a child may do for others by
its love.
Church Missionary Magazine.

Price 6d. per doz. or 38. 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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twenty-five feet above the ground, where no tiger could reach you? "But who is that man who sits alone in this strange dwelling?" He is a missionary. Some of the people who live among the hills of Travancore wish to be instructed, and they have sent for a minister of Christ. On going to see them, he found about five hundred ready to put themselves under his care; and they wanted him to live among them. So much in earnest were they, that they pulled down their idol-house; and they be gan to keep the Sabbath. He did

not agree to live with them, however; but he makes them frequent visits, and at such times he must have a place to stay in. And they are so glad to see him, that they are willing to build a hut for him, where he may be safe, and no beast of prey can reach him. If he will take care not to fall out of his lofty dwelling, he will find it a better place than the poor huts of the natives.

There is reason to hope that many of these heathen will become Christians.

HISTORY OF SAKO, A LITTLE SLAVE-BOY AT CAPE PALMAS, WEST AFRICA.

BISHOP PAYNE of the American

Sako as one bearer on the occasion

"As we walked along, for I gener

church, who has laboured for some I refer to. years in West Africa, has the following record in one of his jour-ally walk as much as I can, I told

nals

"On Tuesday last, I started about three o'clock to visit Wotte and Sede, two heathen towns on the Cavalla river. In making these missionary journeys, having no other means of conveyance, hammocks are used, to avoid excessive fatigue. At this season, when the people are generally engaged in their ricefarms, it is difficult to find even two bearers. On this account it was that I accepted the services of little

Sako I thought he was scarcely large enough to be a bearer. He said, 'This was true; but because we were going to preach good things, he could not find it in his heart to refuse to go.'

"I was much struck with this observation; for, although he had been to me frequently to say he was trying to become a Christian, and I had often remarked his interest at the Sunday-school, I was hardly prepared to find him concerned to

HISTORY OF SAKO.

spread the gospel, as he now appeared to be. But I made no reply to his remark, and we went to Wotte to preach.

"The attendance, as is usual here, was small; and I preached, and concluded, having little to comfort me, except the consciousness of having delivered the message with which I was charged.

"As soon as I had closed the services, what was my surprise to see little Sako raising himself up, and, with outstretched hands, and a countenance beaming with tenderness and love, urging upon the people to receive the gospel.

"Sirs,' he said, "think as you may of these truths, you can never have true peace until you have received them. Your greegrees and idols, what are they? Break them open, and will you find anything in them? Do they do you any good? Are they not in your hands while you continually see trouble and die? Cast these things away, and turn to God. Beware how you refuse His message and break His laws. God destroyed a town called Sodom, for the wickedness of its people. Do not provoke Him to punish you.' With many such words did this boy exhort his people.

"I was astonished, and anxious too; for I feared that he would be

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severely reproved and scowled down for his impertinence. But no: the people aroused themselves from their listlessness, and every eye was fixed upon him, while one and another exclaimed, 'Hya, hanhte ne pede, hanhte ne pede.' (Child, you speak the truth, you speak the truth).

"An old man then gave an account of a service at Cape Palmas, at which Hyano of Cavalla, the old converted demon-doctor, had spoken; concluding by saying that their idols were vanities, and it would not be long before all would turn from them and serve God.

"We now proceeded to the second village, Sede. On the way, when I made allusion to what had passed, he said, 'Once I was ashamed of God. I was afraid and ashamed to be seen at church, but I have no fear now. God has taken this away, and I am now ready to confess Him anywhere. In my heart I believe on Him.'

"You once told me,' I said, 'Sako, that your master troubled you because you would observe the Sabbath. How is it now?'

"Do you remember,' he replied, 'the last time I was at service in the evening? Well, the next morning my master tied me, and beat me for it. Here are the marks on my arms and back."

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