Earlier text: SECRET SINSAT a certain prayer meeting a man noted for his failures to meet business obligations rose to speak. The subject was, "What shall I do to be saved?" He commenced slowly to quote the words, "What shall I do to be saved?" He paused, looked around, and said again, "What shall I do to be saved?" Again, with more solemn tone he repeated the question of questions, when a voice from the assembly, in clear and distinct tones, replied, "Go and pay John Williams for that yoke of oxen." The incident stirs up solemn thought. A great many people before they can be saved, or guide others to the Saviour, will have to "go and pay John Williams" the money they honestly owe him. Shrewd tricksters in the marts of the world are not shrewd enough to be dishonest at heart and retain the favor of God, who "loves purity in the inward parts." Neither can a hope of the world to come be like a sheet anchor in the soul of anyone who robs God by being dishonest to his fellowman. Thousands read no other Bible than the lives of those who profess to be following Christ's precepts in their daily lives. The greatest need of the church is true, pure, upright living—"living epistles, known and read of all men." The "square" man is the best shape. The tree is known by its fruit. "Go thou and pay John Williams."—The Sunlight. Practice What You Preach
By Quarles
BE thyself blameless of what thou rebukest; he that cleans a blot with blotted fingers makes a greater blot.—Quarles. TWO SIGNS THAT SHOW CHRIST'S COMING IS NEAR.
By S. H. Carnahan
FROM Christ's own words we have it that among the signs of his second coming were the darkening of the sun (Mark 13 : 24), and "upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity" and "men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming upon the earth." Luke 21 : 25, 26. In proof that these things will be fulfilled in such an unaccountable and yet so plain a manner that all who study or hear God's word may not be mistaken, I give just two quotations. First, in regard to the darkening of the sun, Noah Webster says:— The dark day, May 19, 1780, so called on account of a remarkable darkness on that day, extending over all New England. In some places persons could not see to read common print in the open air for several hours together. . . . The true cause of this remarkable phenomenon is not known. Second, in reference to the nation's distress and the fear of men, Grover Cleveland, the President of the United States, in his message delivered a short time ago, says:— Our unfortunate financial plight is not the result of outward circumstances nor of conditions related to our natural resources, nor is it traceable to any of the afflictions which frequently check natural growth and prosperity. With plenteous crops, with abundant promise of remunerative production and manufactures, with universal invitation to safe investment and a satisfactory assurance to business enterprise, suddenly financial distrust and fear have sprung up on every side. Surely our redemption draweth nigh. AN UNEXPECTED PRIZE.
By Mrs. F. A. Reynolds
CHAPTER I. "THE MISSIONARY'S OFFER."
MRS. MANTON sat in the little family sitting room rocking baby Ora's crib with her foot while she read an interesting account of the founding of a missionary station in India. It was Sunday afternoon and the children, Paul and Hope, had gone to Sunday school, while Mr. Manton, like many business men, was very literal in his ideas of Sunday rest and was lying asleep on the sofa, with a paper over his face. Mrs. Manton finished her article and, dropping her magazine in her lap, glanced at the clock, wondering why the children were so late home from Sunday school. Just then she heard rapid steps, then the gate swung to with a hasty click, and light feet bounded up the walk to the door. The next instant Paul and Hope bounded into the room, flushed and breathless, and began to talk together in excited whispers, as their mother, lifting a warning hand, pointed to the sleeping baby. "We had company," began Paul. "At Sunday school," put in Hope. "A missionary," they both added. "And he made a speech"—said Paul. "And said"— interrupted Hope. "There, that will do," said Mrs. Manton, repressing an inclination to laugh. "You are too excited to be polite. Go and put away your things, wash your faces, and brush your hair, then, if you are cool enough, I'll hear one of you tell the story." The children went away reluctantly, but soon returned, quiet and refreshed. Mrs. Manton smiled. "Well, now, Hope may tell the story, and if Paul wishes to add to it or correct it, he may do so in a gentlemanly manner." So Hope began in a more collected way. "Mr. Gordon, a missionary from Siam, was at Sunday school, and the superintendent asked him to speak, and he did. "He is a brother to Mrs. Allen, you know, and Bertha says he talks just splendid at home. "He told us he thought he might be asked to talk a little, so he had brought a map to show us where he has been living and working the last five years. Then he showed us Siam on the map, and told us lots of interesting things about the country, a good deal like what we read at our last missionary meeting, but his telling it made it true, you know. "Then he told us about the people and how he tried to teach them and study their language, and he said after he had tried different ways of putting the truth before them, he had decided that they understood him best when he told the simple story of Jesus, and taught them the ten commandments, telling them it was God's law we must all obey. He had the ten commandments on a linen chart in their language, and had the people learn to repeat them, and he tried to explain them, so they learned by them who God is, and that we must worship him alone—and—and all the rest, you know. Then he asked us how many of us could repeat the ten commandments perfectly, and, do you know, mamma, no one but our minister and Miss Langdon could! Oh, I was so ashamed!" "Of yourself or the school?" asked her mother. "Both," replied Hope promptly. "But I thought you knew the commandments," added Mrs. Manton. "So did I, until he said 'perfectly,' then I knew I couldn't repeat them just right." "Well, what then? Was Mr. Gordon very much shocked?" asked Mrs. Manton. "No, not so very much. He said he thought our school was like many others, and that his little Siamese school could do better than most schools in our country. Then he said he was going away, and would return in a month, and he would give a beautiful Oxford Bible to the scholar who could recite the ten commandments most perfectly and could tell in the best and shortest way what they meant. He said he could not afford to make such an offer to every school, but he was interested in having his little nieces and nephew learn God's law." "And he showed us a Bible like the one he will give," said Paul. "It is gilt, and bound in heavy limp morocco covers, and has lots of study helps in it." "We mean to try for it," said Hope. "Indeed we do," said her brother. "That's right," said Mr. Manton, who had been awakened by the children's entrance, and had listened with interest to Hope's account of the talk of Mr. Gordon. "Can we begin to-day?" asked Hope. "The sooner the better," replied their mother. "After lunch we will see what sort of a beginning we can make." It was now two o'clock, and they went to the dining room, where a cold lunch, simple but palatable, was spread on the table. When the lunch was disposed of, they all returned to the sitting room, and prepared to begin their study. "In the first place," said Mrs. Manton, "what are the ten commandments?" "God's law," Paul replied. "Yes, and where are they found?" "In the Bible," said Hope. "True, but the Bible is a large and varied book. Where in the Bible may we look for the ten commandments?" "In the Old Testament," said Paul. "Yes, but get closer—in what part—in which book?" "I think it is in Exodus, mamma," said Hope, "because it was when the children of Israel were in the wilderness, and they built a tabernacle afterwards—and—" "Yes, in Exodus. Paul, you may find the chapter. Hope, you may hand me the Bible Dictionary. We will read a description of the place where the law was given. Do you remember where it was, Hope?" "On Mt. Sinai," she replied. "The account is in the twentieth chapter of Exodus," said Paul. "Read aloud," said his mother, "beginning with the sixteenth verse of chapter 19." Paul read to the twenty-first verse of chapter 20, then they began to talk about it. "You see you must memorize from verse 3 to verse 18. Hope, read about Mt. Sinai in the dictionary." Hope did so, then they found it upon a map, and so had something of an idea of the place in which God chose to give his law. "How did he give it?" asked Mr. Manton. "He spoke them—the commandments—first, then wrote them with his finger on two tables of stone. That's what Mr. Gordon said to-day," replied Hope, "but it doesn't say so here," she added. "No," said her mother. "Turn to Deuteronomy, fifth chapter, verse 22." Hope found and read the passage. They were quiet for a time, Paul reading the commandments over slowly to himself, while Hope traced on the map the route from the Red Sea to Mt. Sinai. "Why, it's right there, mamma!" she cried, "just a little ways!" "Yes, God did not let his people go far without his law to guide them. "There are two tables of the law, you know; the second table includes the last six commandments, referring to our duties and relations to our fellow men. The first four refer to our duties toward God." "Mamma, you say 'our duties.' The commandments were given to the Hebrews; are they meant the same for us, just as they stand—meant for us just as they were for the Jews?" "I believe so, Paul," said his mother decidedly. "There were other laws given the Jews referring to ceremonies typical of Christ's coming, that were done away with when he came and died and rose again, but the ten commandments I believe embody God's law for all mankind, for all time. What made you ask, Paul?" "Because I saw a scrap of paper somewhere that said the commandments were abrogated at the cross, and I looked in my dictionary to see what that meant. 'Abrogate' means to repeal, or make void. So I thought maybe when Christ died that put an end to the ten commandments." "Some people argue that way," replied Mrs. Manton, "but it isn't consistent. A law is in force until it is repealed by the same power that made it. God gave the ten commandments publicly. He has never annulled them; so they are still in force. Christ never annulled them; indeed, he ever confirmed them, as, for instance, when he said: 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.'" "Don't you see he combined the first four and the last six into a first and second? If we worship God and no other, if we reverence his name and day, we show we love God. If we honor our parents, and regard the lives, property, and reputation of our neighbors, as our own, we obey the last six commandments, while following the golden rule. I do not think we can get rid of God's law by trying to believe it abrogated." "I don't see," said Hope reflectively, "how we can explain each one, as Mr. Gordon asked." "I'll tell you," said her father; "you learn to repeat them correctly, and the meaning will come to you." "Mr. Gordon said," added Paul, "that we should find ourselves and others breaking one or more of the commandments every day." "That's true," said Mrs. Manton. "Watch730 and you will soon see the whole ten broken." "But Mr. Gordon said if we broke one, we broke all, and needed Christ just as much," exclaimed Hope. "True again," said her mother. "Now I must run over and see how old Aunty Arnold is, so you can study awhile now." Mrs. Manton ran across the garden to the old lady's cottage, and Paul and Hope began to learn God's law. (To be continued.) THE JOURNEY OF LIFE.
By Eliza H. Morton
THE wild winds moan, the night is dark,
The way is long and drear;
Alone I wander in the world,
Weighed down with doubt and fear. And is it thus, O heart, with thee?
Is this thy sad, sad cry?
To live a few short, fleeting years
And then, alas! to die? 'Tis thus without the Lamp of Life,
The soul must be oppressed;
For he who lives within himself,
Knows not of rest, sweet rest. But he who lives for God and man,
Who lives by faith alone,
Walks onward in a path that leads
From earth up to a throne. O glorious life, lived here below!
'Tis heaven on earth indeed
To take God's word into the heart,
Upon its truths to feed. Wild winds may moan, the way be long,
But Jesus makes it light;
Doubts fly away before our faith,
And all is wondrous bright. A CIRCUS and menagerie came to a certain city. In the crowd which always gathers about such an exhibition there was a man whose little dog had just been beaten in a fight with another dog. The man in a fit of rage seized the bleeding and suffering brute, and, hurrying into the circus tent, roughly thrust him through the bars of the lion's cage, expecting, of course, to see him devoured in a moment. The dog seemed to know his danger, and crouched upon the floor in terror. The lion fixed his gaze upon him, but did not stir, and the dog, at last gathering hope, crawled slowly towards the lion and looked up into his face, as if with a mute cry for mercy. To the surprise of the people, the king of beasts, who could have crushed the dog with a single stroke, gently drew the helpless creature to his side, and then raised his lordly head and neck above him like a wall of protection. Meanwhile the owner of the dog recovered from his silly anger, and demanded his property. "You put him into the cage, go and get him," was the quiet reply of the keeper. The man drew near and called the dog, but the dog did not stir. He acted as if he had found a better master and was satisfied with the change. The man called again and again, and whistled and coaxed, and then he began to scold. The lion growled and looked so fierce at the man that he was frightened, and moved back from the cage. Then all the people laughed at him, and the two friends, the dog and the lion, were left in peace.—Selected. A FEW THOUGHTS.
By Mrs. A. J. R.
WE read in the sacred word of God that Christ went about among the people doing good, healing their diseased bodies and likewise leading them to the only source of true happiness. He was not only a true missionary, but the greatest teacher the world has ever known. His heart burned with love toward fallen humanity. Man, made in the image of God, had fallen; he had not only lost his own life and happiness but his home in the Garden of Eden. Sin and sorrow were brought into the once sinless world; but, oh, what wondrous love! Jesus left his own beautiful home, came to this sin-cursed world, lived the life of a true Christian man, suffered, and finally died the most shameful of deaths, that we might live. Then, if we are missionaries, we must have the mind of Christ and be willing to suffer for the sake of the fallen race around us—not that we are so far above our fellow beings that we can reach down and raise them to our level, not that, for we belong to the same family, and had our environment been like that of our fallen brother or sister we, like them, might have fallen. Oh, no! we cannot boast of any goodness of our own but we can glory in a risen Saviour, one "who was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin." He overcame and so may we. It is wonderful the simple faith which is exercised by the natives who come to the Saviour. They know they are sinful, but Jesus said he would save them and they trust him. One native woman of my acquaintance had quite a distance to travel along a lonely road one dark night, passing a graveyard on the way. Knowing, as I did, how superstitious all natives are and how much they fear ghosts, I said to her, "Grandma, are you not afraid?" but she answered quickly, "Oh, no! I have One who always travels with me and I do not fear." Such was her simple faith in Jesus. How often we fret because our cherished plans are all upset, and we are not able to do anything as we would wish to do it. Would we do so if we "simply trusted day by day"? Not long since I was on a little vessel bound for our island home; we had been away for about a month, and of course were anxious to return; then too the homeward bound mail would leave in a few days, so we were doubly anxious to reach land, and felt like pushing the vessel forward with all our might. Just as we were in sight of the town, we were becalmed, the sails hung limp and lifeless, and we rolled from side to side at the mercy of the current. All our internal fretting was of no avail; for several days we were kept away from our desired haven; the mail vessel left, but we were still outside; at last the breeze sprang up and we were in port once more. How many times in our life work are we becalmed—becalmed in our desire to work for others until it seems sometimes that we must break the spell, and accomplish our purposes at any cost! But "all things work together for good," so let us trust Jesus, our Teacher, for he doeth all things well. This beautiful hymn which follows may well be the prayer of each heart:731
"Father, I know that all my life
Is portioned out for me,
And the changes that are sure to come
I do not fear to see;
But I ask thee for a patient mind,
Intent on pleasing thee; "I ask thee for a thoughtful love,
Through constant watching wise,
To meet the glad with joyful smiles,
And wipe the weeping eyes;
And a heart of leisure from itself,
To soothe and sympathize. "I would not have the restless will
That hurries to and fro,
Seeking for some great thing to do,
Or secret thing to know;
I would be treated as a child,
And guided where I go. "Wherever in the world I am,
In whatsoe'er estate,
I have a fellowship with hearts
To keep and cultivate,
And a work of lowly love to do
For the Lord on whom I wait. "So I ask thee for the daily strength,
To none that ask denied,
And a mind to blend with outward life
While keeping at thy side,
Content to fill a little space,
If thou be glorified. "And if some things I do not ask,
In my cup of blessing be,
I would have my spirit filled the more
With grateful love to thee.
And careful—less to serve thee much
Than to please thee perfectly. "There are briars besetting every path,
That call for patient care;
There is a cross in every lot,
And an earnest need for prayer;
But the lowly heart that leans on thee
Is happy anywhere. "In a service which thy will appoints,
There are no bonds for me;
For my inmost heart is taught 'the truth'
That makes thy children 'free,'
And a life of self-renouncing love
Is a life of liberty." "WINE in, wit out." And yet that old saying is only true after a certain stage of the game has been passed. Many men, and even most men, are more witty and facetious after a drink or two of wine than before. It doesn't take a young man long to find out that he can say more funny things, and make more laughs at his witticisms, when he is a trifle cocked than when he is his own natural self. When he finds himself in company with others, and all are trying to be cute, it is perfectly natural that he avail himself of every means within his reach to "keep his end up," as the saying is. So he hoists in a few drinks, and in his revised shape he finds no difficulty in raising a laugh at will. In fact, he is more of a fellow drunk than he is sober, and he knows it. But he goes on and forces the machinery too hard, until, instead of being funny, he gets either idiotic or ugly, and then the very fellows who admired and applauded him call him a hog, and want the bartender to fire him. This sort of thing goes on night after night, until the fellow grows to be a regular drunken bummer, and don't amount to anything drunk or sober. Young man, look the matter over and see if this doesn't hit your case. See if you don't take more drinks to make you funny than for any other reason.—Danville (N. Y.) Breeze. Miss Willard puts the drunkard's career in two very short chapters, as follows:— He could have left off drinking if he would. He would have left off drinking if he could. THE latest method of raising submerged ships is by placing in them a number of rubber bags and then inflating them with gas. The idea of this invention was suggested in a singular way. A barge with a number of cattle on board was sunk in a collision. No steps were taken towards raising the barge, but about two weeks after the accident it was seen floating down the stream with deck out of water. One of those who saw the singular occurrence made up his mind that he would find out the reason of it, and after investigation he discovered that the gases of decomposition had bloated the cattle to such an extent that they acted as so many air cylinders and had raised the boat. After possessing himself of this valuable secret he quietly cut holes in the cattle, and as the air escaped, the barge sank out of sight again. He then engaged a lawyer and soon patented the method of raising ships by air chambers.—Selected. CARELESS HABITS OF BATHING.
THERE is something almost startling in the way in which mothers often leave weak points unguarded in the care of their children. A certain boy of eight was constantly suffering from slight attacks of illness. First, he had a hard cold, which kept him out of school for several days; then he had the jaundice; then he had the earache. His mother one day questioned, in regard to the cause of the difficulty, a friend who had brought up a large family and who had a reputation for "faculty." The wise woman inquired closely concerning the child's diet, which seemed to have been, in the main, satisfactory. He was allowed plenty of sleep. He was properly clothed and was not overworking in school. The matters of exercise and fresh air were not neglected. "How do you bathe him?" asked at last the friendly mentor. "Oh," responded the mother, with little interest, as though a bath were of small importance compared with the other details which they had been discussing, "I really don't pay much attention to his baths since he has grown old enough to bathe himself. He takes two baths a week just before going to bed." "I really don't know. Pretty warm, I fancy. Most children like it so." "And how long does he stay in his tub?" "Oh, perhaps a half or three-quarters of an hour!" This mother was startled to be told by her friend that her son's baths were probably killing him. When their temperature was reduced nearer to blood heat, and he was allowed to stay in them not more than ten minutes, he rapidly grew strong, and his illnesses became slight and rare.—The Congregationalist. It is announced that a remarkable new Medusa, or jellyfish, has been found to occur in Lake Tanganyika, Africa, a "fresh-water" lake, though we believe the water is slightly brackish. It is entirely different from the jellyfish found living a few years ago in the Victoria lily tank of the Kew Gardens at London, and represents a distinct family, whose exact position is unknown. THE London Missionary Society's report of 1862 of the Murshidabad District, India, shows but 156 Christians to a population of 1,227,952. One recent missionary to that field, Rev. A. Joyce, thus speaks in this "report" of his arrival there, and that difficulties of language did not hinder him from going to work immediately. He says:— "A new missionary is stimulated to begin work at once, and finds himself in an atmosphere of work. There is no monotony, no weary months of simply linguistic labor before he can begin doing something. The much decried educational work has opened up an immediate sphere of work among English-speaking Bengalis. On New Year's day, my third day in India, I enjoyed the privilege of preaching in our English Chapel here, the larger proportion of the congregation being English-speaking Bengalis, who habitually come to our Sunday evening gathering. Other English work lies to hand at once, and I hope to begin Scripture teaching among the elder lads in the school as soon as it reopens. Neither is it long before one is urged to take a very modest part in the bazaar preaching, by learning and reciting texts of Scripture, and helping to sing a few hymns. The initial attempts I hope to be able to make in a few weeks' time. The spirit of urgency which seems to possess all our workers is stirring like martial music, and makes one eager to take a vital part in all that is going on." Of caste he thus speaks:— "I used to think Indian missionaries talked too much about caste, but it is truly the one dreadful stone of stumbling to all progress in this land. Dear friends, that live in the glorious liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, pray for India's sons and daughters, that they may be released from this bondage of Satan." Paul Bismas, a native preacher of the London Missionary Society in the Murshidabad district of India, speaks of preaching at Satelipore, and advertising his books in connection therewith. He says: "When I advertised the books, which were with me, people from all sides began to cry out, 'Give me a copy of the life of Christ, give me a copy of the life of Christ.' I sold there all the books I had with me." A TOUR IN EUROPE.
By George C. Tenney
IN my last letter we were at Copenhagen, in attendance upon the last week of the general meeting and council. This meeting is considered by those acquainted with the facts to have been the best for spiritual interest, and the most important in its relation to the cause, of any ever held in Denmark, or perhaps in Scandinavia, by our people. From this point our way led to Hamburg, thence to Switzerland, to attend the annual camp meeting and session of the Central European Conference. As it did not take us particularly out of our way, and having two days to spare, we chose a route which took us to several interesting points. A ride of four hours on a fast train brought us to Berlin. The way is across a level country, the soil of which is generally not very fertile and some of it is very sandy. Nevertheless, the most of it is made to produce something,—potatoes, buckwheat, or, in many cases, pine forests. Tree planting on the Continent is almost universally and systematically carried on. When a tree is cut from a grove or forest, another is planted in its stead. And here and there dense groves are being reared, and the crop is considered sure to render a good return in time to those who can wait.12 Berlin is a city of 2,000,000(?) people, and is situated in the midst of a wide level plain that extends from east to west through Germany and Russia to the mountains of Siberia. Its streets are wide, regular, and clean, the principal one being the celebrated Unter den Linden, Under the Lindens, along which we were driven twice. Commencing near the Reichstag, or Parliament house, it extends through the most fashionable part of the city, lined with brilliant shops on either side, and past the houses of princes and emperors, past and present. On this street are situated the great art gallery, one of the most famous in the world, and the new Rathhaus, or City Hall. To the top of the tower of the latter building we climbed and there obtained a view of the beautiful Prussian and German capitol, which the lack of time forbade our taking in detail. Traveling southwest from Berlin about two hours brought us to Wittemberg, for many years the home of Luther, and the scene of some of the most stirring events of his life. Naturally our steps were first attracted to the old monastery, into one of whose dark cells the light of the Reformation first broke, and the school building connected therewith. But little remains of the interior arrangement of the monastery, for the same movement that reformed the religion of its occupants resulted in the transformation of the building. It was presented to Luther for a study and a home. Some of the rooms remain in their original form. Of these the chapel is perhaps the most interesting; and the interest of this place centers especially in the quaint pulpit and rostrum, from which the great reformer taught the burning truths of the message given him of God. But no place in the building possesses near the interest that the room which was Luther's own room possesses. The window of this room is the same as three hundred years ago. The panes are mostly circular, three inches in diameter, in metal sashes. Before the window is a rude double seat, where Luther and his Katharine sat facing each other, and in a convenient position each had a sliding pane of glass about ten inches square for observation, through which they looked out upon the garden that filled the courts. Near the window is the old table on which he wrote, marred by the whittling of relic seekers. In a corner of the room is the old stove, and upon its walls are portraits and pictures of interest. We sat in the seat, looked out of the window, and wrote upon the table, with a peculiar sensation of pleasure, which almost seemed to connect for a moment our lives with those thrilling times. In 1520, on Luther's 57th birthday, Katharine had a new entrance made to their residence and study. It still remains, with its inscriptions and rude sculpture, an interesting relic of their lives and a testimony of their mutual love. The next point claiming attention is Luther's church, distant ten or fifteen minutes' walk. It was on the doors of this church that the theses were nailed. The original doors were burned and their places are now filled with metal doors bearing the theses in casting. Within the church the hero and Melancthon lie buried. The structure has been partially renewed and is now in good repair. The old City Church, dating from more than six hundred years ago, and in which the first evangelical services were held, still remains in good repair and is still in use. It contains a baptismal font erected in 1457. The town itself is partly antique, with curious old houses, while another portion is modern, well built, and attractive. About one-fourth of a mile from the monastery in the corner of a wealthy citizen's garden is a wide-spreading oak, beneath which it is said Luther burned the pope's bull. G. C. TENNEY. THE Zenana work has gone on steadily; we have had more requests from Hindu gentlemen for us to visit their homes than at any previous time. Only in one case has a pupil's work with us been prevented because of Scripture teaching. This contrasts hopefully with a time two years ago, when ten houses in one week were closed to us because of the Bible teaching given. Thus practically the Zenana work has had no opposition, while conversations with thoughtful women, who gladly receive the words of Jesus, have again and again given us exceeding joy in our work; although we do not see them coming forward openly as Christians, yet I know that there are several secret believers, and some who read their Bibles whether we visit them or not. Then, again, we have often come in contact with the sick and delicate child mother, and found that the medical help we have been able to render is one of the best means by which many of the cruel and degrading customs of Hinduism may be broken through, and the way cleared for the more deeply needed spiritual doctoring.—London Missionary Society Report. THE first zenana teaching ever attempted in the East was in Siam in 1851, as zenana work in India did not begin until 1858. Twenty-one of the thirty young wives of the king composed the class. And the beginning in India was on this wise: A certain missionary's wife in Calcutta sat in her parlor embroidering a pair of slippers for her husband. A Brahman gentleman admired them. Mrs. Mullen asked him if he would not like to have his wife taught to make them. He answered, "Yes." "That was a fatal word to those who wished to cling to idolatry, but a joyous yes it has proved to be to them. As this lady was teaching the woman of India to twine the gold and purple into the slippers, she was twining into her heart the fibers of the sufferings and love of our Lord and Saviour." After one home was opened to the missionary, it was easy to gain access to others.—Christian at Work. Slavery has been abolished in name, but it can never be abolished in fact, for the slaves have no means of supporting themselves outside their master's houses. Every member of the Siamese upper classes can fetter his servants or throw them into prison without any kind of trial or permission being necessary. One morning I went to call upon one of the ablest and most enlightened of the ministers, a man who has been to Europe, and who once actually got into serious trouble for trying to inaugurate a sort of woman's rights movement in Siam. I made my way by mistake into a part of his grounds where visitors were not expected, and I found a slave fastened down to the ground in an ingenious kind of pillory, in which he could not move hand or foot, while another slave tortured him with severe strokes of a bamboo rod, at the word of a member of the family, in order to force him to confess to some misdeed.—Christian at Work. DO THAT HE BIDS THEE.
By Gertrude E. Judson
"In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they shall both be alike good." Eccl. 11:6. It was only a little garden
The Master gave to her hand,
Though she longed with a great heart longing
For many acres of land;
For she longed to raise for her Master
Sweet blossoms, both rich and rare,
Not a paltry few, but numbers great,
All fragrant and pure and fair. The Master looked down on her kindly,
For her heart was right, he knew;
But to some are given great numbers,
To many are given but few.
And one of the seeds that he gave her
Seemed fresh, and it promised fair,
And she planted it with the others,
And watered them all with care. And this seed repaid her care and love,
And its leaves grew fresh and green,
But in vain she looked for bud or bloom—
Leaves, only leaves to be seen.
Impatient she grew with the tardy plant;
Oh, where are the blooms that should be?
I've wasted my love and time and care,
For flowers I never shall see. So from her garden she plucked it up,
This plant with leaves but no bloom,
And tossed it out of her way aside,
For fairer plants to make room.
All faint and scorched by the burning sun,
All bruised and riven and sore,
It longed in vain for the hand it loved
That had watered it o'er and o'er. The Master came into the garden
To look at his plants so fair;
He missed the plant with nothing but leaves,
Where never a bloom was there.
There was the hole in the damp brown earth,
Where the roots had burrowed deep.
But, "Oh, where is the plant?" the Master said,
"The plant that I gave you to keep?" "Thy work was to water, care, and keep;
The increase to give is mine;
Do thou thy task, whether blossom fair
Or only the leaves be thine." FROM THE "PITCAIRN."
By John Harvey Kellogg
M. C. WILCOX—Dear Brother: We arrived here yesterday morning, all well, ship safe and sound. I wrote you from Raiatea, where we found an open field for Brother and Sister Cady, whom we left there. We left Raiatea June 28, arriving at Rurutu, 350 miles south of Raiatea. We reached Rurutu July 5, and left on July 11. Rurutu has 1,050 inhabitants, and three large stone churches which would do honor to any small American city. There is no white minister on the island, and but four white men and no white women. The church work is wholly in the hands of the native Christians. There are two native ministers. One was educated at Raratonga, the other in Tahiti. Both are full of prejudice, their minds having been poisoned by the French missionary residing at Tahiti. Nevertheless, at Rurutu we found a most urgent request, from many of the natives, to locate a worker here. They want a teacher to instruct their young people. Some begged me, with tears, to remain with them. One suggested that if I must go on the Pic (the ship), that I tapu (cut myself in two), and send one part on the ship and the other part stay on the isle and help them. Scores of them begged me to stay. I think a good man and his wife, persons of sound judgment, willing to die, if need be, for Christ, and who can be a real father and mother to this people, should be sent out to locate on Rurutu. The isle is healthful and the climate delightful; I had but twelve patients there. The people are kind, hospitable, and Christian, but many of them feel that they are all but children. May the Good Shepherd send someone to feed these hungry sheep. We all fell in love with the people there. We sailed west from Rurutu 500 miles to Mangaia, where we arrived on Friday, July 14, and spent the day, till 4 P. M., ashore. This isle has 2,000 native people, with three white traders and no white women. Mr. Harris, the white missionary for 22 years, has left the field, having gone to London a few days previous. A successor is expected in a few weeks. At Mangaia the people are keeping Saturday, supposing it to be Sunday, as they reckon the weeks by colonial time. We sailed west from Mangaia 100 miles, nearing Raratonga at 10:30 Sabbath morning, July 15, but as it would be too late for services on shore, we lay off until next morning. Raratonga is the headquarters for mission work in the Polynesia by the London Missionary Society. It has a native population of 1,800. There are seven isles in this group, with a total population of 7,000, all nominally Christian. Many of them have tasted the power of the love of Christ. Besides these the Pendwyn group contains several thousand more. All these people keep their Sunday Saturday. I had a long talk with the chief judge on Raratonga. He is a native and a very intelligent man, and appears to be a sincere Christian. He questioned me about our faith; I gave him the leading points. "Why," he exclaimed, "that is my belief! You stay here and help us." The people on both Mangaia and Raratonga are a kind and harmless people, and are very hospitable, and I am told that the same is true of the natives on all these isles. Oh, that we had suitable laborers on all these isles! Surely the fields are all white for the harvest. Rurutu belongs to the Tubal group. The people on the Tubal Isles, about 3,000 or 4,000, speak the Tahitian language. We should by all means occupy the Tubal Isles at once. A man and his wife should go. They should be prepared to teach and to care for the sick. We ought to give every missionary at least one year's instruction in caring for the sick, before sending them out. We leave here for the west to-morrow. Yours, etc.,
M. G. KELLOGG.