then her mother too. The reason was the same that you have heard of in the other islands—many of the people were ill, and the priests said that the teachers, "the disease makers,"must die. And now they had got rid of their teachers, did they forget all that they had heard? Oh, no! Some of them visited Aneitum, and wondered at what they saw. The Aneitum Christians were obeying our Lord's command, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." The natives of Fotuna gave up their heathenism in consequence of this visit, and were anxious to get teachers to go back with them to their own island. Two of the Aneitum converts offered to go, and as the missionaries saw they were fit for the work, they accompanied the Fotuna people. Their success was so great that one of them afterwards wrote:-"Things here are even in advance of Aneitum; for here the hearts of all the people are now in favour of the Word of God." Is not this a great deal to be able to say? Blessed be God, that in Fotuna, and so many other islands, which a few years ago were sunk in cold, dark heathenism, the Gospel light so clearly shines. We have taken the foregoing accounts of the triumphs of the Gospel in Western Polynesia from the London Missionary Chronicle, and from a very interesting work called "Gems from the Coral Islands," by the Rev. W. Gill; and we now conclude these chapters in the words of that devoted missionary :—“Ye British youths who love the Bible, and desire to bless the heathen with a knowledge of its truth, rejoice in these and similar triumphs in heathen lands. Continue to love and to sustain the cause of missions. Often look at your map, become familiar with all mission stations, and cease not to pray that the Holy Spirit may continue to bless all our efforts. Be first concerned to give your own selves to Jesus. Weep as you think of that young Englishman who became a heathen on Lifu, and seek the grace of God to keep you from falling. Rejoice as you think of Paoo, who was born a heathen, and who became a Christian, and was made the honoured instrument of doing so much good to those degraded islanders. Give yourselves to Jesus, and daily feel that He would have you do something in His name, to bless your fellowcreatures. Some of you may be called to be His servants, to preach His Gospel, to go to heathen lands THE BRAHMIN AND THE MICROSCOPE. 93 to gather in the heathen tribes. Go, knowledge-watch and follow the then, to His footstool-seek His guidance-daily do His will—embrace every opportunity to get leading of His providence, and say, "LORD, I AM THINE. WHAT WOULDST THOU HAVE ME TO DO?" THE BRAHMIN AND THE MICROSCOPE. WE may sometimes learn not a little One day a Brahmin, whose religion strictly prohibits him from eating anything in the shape of animal food, or from taking away the life of any living creature for that end, was shewn by means of a microscope that the vegetable food he was eating was full of minute little insects, so that he crushed whole swarms of them at every mouthful. The microscope made this too plain for even a Brahmin to doubt or argue against; what then could he do? Alarmed at his position, and finding no other way left by which he could escape from the evidence of his very senses-evidence that went to prove him defiled by the horrid sin of taking animal life every time he took food, in spite of all his religion-he flung from him the microscope, and broke it into a hundred pieces! And now he could eat on in quiet. Young people, have you ever broken the microscope? When sin has been pointed out to you, when you have been shown that your heart is full of enmity against God the Father, and the Beloved Son, and the Spirit of grace, have you not often risen up and thrust the disagreeable conviction away, by rushing off to some amusement? Was not this breaking the microscope? When reproved for a burst of temper, or an act of wilfulness, have you not tried to escape from the painful humiliation of confessing your fault, by changing the subject, or accusing another? Was not this breaking the microscope? When shown your danger of hell eternal hell-have you not often sought to put aside the consideration 94 THE BRAHMIN AND THE MICROSCOPE, of the subject, rather than settle the question honestly? Were you not the Brahmin that broke the microscope? When troubled by the haunting thought, "I am still out of Christ, and so not safe," how often have you made your escape, by forgetting the God with whom you have to do? When forced to admit that you had none of the marks of real conversion, how many times have you put aside the Bible, or a text of the Bible, or the words of the friend, or the book that flashed in that unpleasant conviction ? Was not this breaking the microscope? You have been reproved for neglect of duty, and could not defend yourself. You felt it too true that you had not been attentive to your lessons, to the will of your parents, to the directions of your teacher. But still you disliked this feeling, and determined to get quit of it. How? By breaking the microscope that shewed your fault-by putting out of mind and memory what had been pressed upon your consideration, and had galled your conscience. Your duty to the Heathen and to the Jew, has it been well performed? Have you cared for them, pitied them, prayed for them, given of your money to them? Have you really done what you know you ought? Have you felt and acted as Paul would have liked you to do? Have you felt and acted as JESUS YOUR LORD would like to find you doing? Consider this fairly and honestly. Do not turn abruptly away from the question. Do not end it by breaking the microscope in pieces. Instead of so doing, young friends, take this more excellent way. Confess to the Lord Jesus, confess over the Lamb "that taketh away the sin of the world," your sin, iniquity, transgression; your omissions and neglects, your hard-heartedness, your grievous unbelief. Confess all your self-pleasing, and all your carelessness about the souls of others. Carry this heavy, heavy load of guilt to the sin-bearing Lamb of God. It is He only who can bear that load of yours, and He says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavyladen." Heavy-laden children, come! Heavy-laden children, remember His words, "Come unto me." Think of Him-think of His office as Priest, and think of His heart of love and tenderness; and so, believe in Him as the Saviour. And then, sitting at His feet, in your right mind, you will never fear the microscope's discoveries. No-for not a sin will you find which He cannot hide, and not a want which the Holy Spirit cannot supply; so that the microscope HOW MANY MERCIES IN A YEAR? I HAVE read of a little boy, very clever the Bible! a broad mark for that! And this was just what King David himself was obliged to do. I do not know that he had ever tried to reckon in a way like the little boy, the thoughts of God's love to him. But "Let me see 365 days, 365 mercies. No; surely every hour has been a mercy, by day and by night; that then makes 8760. But I think II do know that he felt the task should count the minutes-the mo- to be too hard for him; for here, in ments; for God is always doing me the 139th Psalm, are the words, "If good. How many moments are there I should count them, they are more in a year? What a vast number! in number than the sand." But let me count the greater mercies. There are my dear parents, who have been spared to me all the year, two marks for this; health preserved, another; food, another; clothing, another; teachers, books, cheerful companions, and merry play, more still: Think of them, dear children, more and more; and pray, not only that God's mercies still may come, but that you may be always mindful and thankful, and never forget the Giver while you receive the gift.-Union Magazine. 96 POETRY-THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDER'S DREAM. THE WAY TO STUDY GEOGRAPHY. A MISSIONARY's child, contributing go to be missionaries." Reader! have to the Persian Star, says: 66 We study you ever taken a map of the world, geography, because it tells us of the and solemnly asked yourself, “Where countries in the world, so that when did Christ send me when he said, 'Go we grow up, we may know where to ye into all the world?"-J.M. Herald. Poetry. THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDER'S DREAM. Suggested by an anecdote in Williams's Missions to the South Sea Islands. I SLEPT; and in my sleep I dreamed Which, like a mighty barrier seemed Its lofty summit touched the skies, Beyond it lay a fruitful land, With rivers deep and wide, Beside them goodly trees, endued And flowers with ravished eyes I viewed And there, his sheep a shepherd fed And unto living fountains led Good Shepherd, well I know Thee now,' "Thou art my Lord and Saviour, Thou The mountain was the load of guilt My guilty soul, O Lord, renew -Church Missionary Gleaner. 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. |