6 SUFFERINGS AND DELIVERANCES OF BASUTO CHILDREN. was more common at one time, in South Africa, than to destroy all children that were blind, or deaf, or lame. Christian parents pity such little sufferers, and take the greatest care of them, but not so these heathen. They had no compassion. Afflicted children were a burden to them, which they were most anxious to cast off; and as they did not scruple to slay, you need not wonder they were willing to sell them. "As Mr Casalis, on one occasion, was engaged in his work, he saw a fine, tall Caffre coming towards him, carrying in his arms a charming little boy. As soon as he approached the missionary, he said to him, 'Is not this a beautiful child?' 'Yes, it is indeed,' answered Mr Casalis. 'Well, then, are you willing to buy him from me?' asked the African. 'Buy your child!' exclaimed the missionary; 'has any one ever heard of such a thing as this?' 'He is yours,' said the Caffre, if you will give me two sheep.' 'But the child is stolen.' 'No,' replied the man, 'it is mine; it is really my child.' 'And you do indeed want to sell him?' 'Yes,' he said, 'for his mother has been dead two months, and how can I bring him up? You have a house and a school. Take him; you may do with him what you please.' "For a moment the missionary was much perplexed at this proposal. He was most anxious to snatch the poor child from heathen darkness and misery, if not from a cruel death; but, on the other hand, he did not dare do anything which might even seem to sanction the wicked slavetrade, and he well knew, that however kind his intention, the heathen would not have understood it, and enemies to missionaries would have misrepresented it. fused the offer. But as he saw the Caffre carry away his precious burden, he felt much sorrow. What became of the poor child he never knew; and even now the missionary says his heart is pained whenever he thinks of the poor Caffre boy. He therefore re "Thus were the children of some of the tribes in South Africa treated before missionaries went amongst them; but since then their condition is wonderfully different. The pa rents who would have fixed them in a trap, or left them to perish, and who then were without natural affection, now love their little ones as much as your father and mother love you, and they would shudder at the thought of selling or abandoning them. They have homes now, and many of them happy homes, such as heathen children never had. they have schools, in which they ge much useful knowledge, and, what is better still, where they hear of; heaven, and learn the way.' And BETTY, THE POOR WELSH WOMAN. BETTY, THE POOR WELSH WOMAN. THERE lived a poor Welsh woman— want a few little comforts; take this "If you མ 8 POETRY THE BIBLE THE WORD OF LIFE. don't have it," said she, "the next beggar shall; for I have given it to Christ, and it is not my own." Oh! this is the true spirit of giving! To give, not just because we are asked, but beforehand delibe HINDOO In the Calcutta Orphan Home there is a little girl, with a fair face and blue eyes. Her parents were for a long time uncertain whether they should kill or worship her. They resolved at last upon the former, and her fair forehead still bears the mark of a severe wound; but she was rescued, and is now happy in the Orphan Home, singing those Christian hymns which are familiar to the children of our Infant and Sabbath-schools. Another little one had been cast away to the jackals, and had been rately to economise on purpose to give, and to set apart for Christ all that we can afford. My little readers, if you did this, don't you think you would give to Christ more than you do at present ? ORPHANS. actually attacked by them. She has now grown an intelligent girl, and can speak three languages with fluency. Her name signifies "Sweet Flower." When her case was made known in Scotland, there was quite a competition for the privilege of maintaining her. The preference was given to the first comer, a person in Glasgow, who worked for her daily bread, and yet sent £6 a year to keep her "Sweet Flower" blooming in the Orphan Home.-Female Missionary Intelligencer. Poetry. THE BIBLE THE WORD OF LIFE. BY THE LATE JAMES MONTGOMERY. "Among whom ye shine as lights in the world: holding forth the word of life."-Phil. ii. 15, 16. WHAT is the world? A wildering maze, Where sin has tracked ten thousand ways, Her victims to ensnare; All broad, all winding, all aslope, Millions of pilgrims throng these roads, One only path that never bends, Is there no guide to show the path? 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. THE FIRST MISSIONARY TO ERAMANGA AND LIFU. OUR readers scarcely need to be reminded that it was at Eramanga that the missionary, John Williams, was murdered, together with his companion, Mr Harris. There are February 1861. now two English missionaries living in that savage island, and a little church has been formed. But long before it was thought right for English missionaries to 10 THE FIRST MISSIONARY TO ERAMANGA AND LIFU. venture there, two native Christians from Raratonga took the Gospel to the murderers of Williams; and here is their history, written by one of themselves, in a letter to Mr Pike, of Derby : 1852, that I left my own land (Ra- "I thank God that it has been my privilege also to know His salva-rounded by a great number of the tion! My forefathers are dead; natives, who eagerly asked who we were, and for what purpose we had come. As soon as Mana interpreted to me what they had said, I earnestly told him that he should say, 'We are come to make known to you the words of everlasting life from the ever-living God.' This Mana told them, and they immediately asked, 'Where is your God? Show us your God.' My reply to them was, 'God is in the heavens, and the whole earth is full of His glory.' They then turned their faces toward the heavens, and sneeringly said, There is no God there,' they never knew this great salvation which has been granted me to know. "Now I greatly desire to continue in the work in which I am engaged, not, indeed, that I seek reward (for doing so), but because I, even I, know the salvation which is in Christ Jesus the Lord. Have I not a sufficient reward in that I am enabled to give myself to the work of God in this distant land? And my intention is never to return again to the land of my birth, but to die in this the work of God. ARRIVAL AT ERAMANGA, AND FIRST 'After this we were led by a chief to his house, who gave us some food. "It was in the month of March, We praised God for His great mercy |