40 POETRY GOD IS IN HEAVEN. by. To-day,' was the answer, 'is the anniversary of the evangelical missions to the nations which are still pagans and savages.' The young man did not understand very well what the word 'missions' meant, and he cared very little for the heathen; but, a short time before this, he had heard one of his companions, who had been visiting a fair in the neighbourhood, speak of a savage that was shown for money. He fancied that perhaps a man of the same kind would be at church, and that he would be more fortunate than his friend, in being able to see so strange an object without paying anything. So he entered the church and waited impatiently for the appearance of the savage. But he was GOD is in heaven; and can He hear A little prayer like mine? disappointed; there was no pagan or savage to be shown that day; but a celebrated preacher mounted the pulpit. The young man listened to him, and was much affected by what he heard. On hearing the gospel faithfully preached, he saw for the first time that, until then, he himself had been a real heathen, living without hope, and without God in the world. He felt that he was a sinner, and prayed to God for pardon; and from that day he was a changed man. To the great joy of his uncle, he became a true Christian. And God has done still more than this for him, for he himself became a missionary to his fellow-workmen, and God has made him the instrument of the conversion of some of them." Poetry. GOD IS IN HEAVEN. Yes, thoughtful child, thou need'st not fear, He listens unto thine. God is in heaven; and can He see Yes, that He can; He looks at thee God is in heaven; and would He know Yes, though thou said'st it very low, 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. 42 MISSIONARY ZEAL AND LIBERALITY OF SOUTH-SEA ISLANDERS. missionary and his flock. Early in February a dreadful hurricane, accompanied by an earthquake, in a few hours covered that "garden island" with the ruins of houses, and the trunks and branches of uprooted trees. The sea, too, rose to a great height, and the wild waves swept over many a rich plantation. Famine and disease followed. The poor islanders suffered greatly, and the Missionary and his family suffered with them. The storm had destroyed their flour, and other things which were to them the necessaries of life. After some months, an American whaler appeared off the island. Several natives hastened on board, and asked the captain to employ them in getting wood and water for the ship. "What is your price?" asked the Captain. Oh, we do not want money," they said. "What then?" he inquired. "Let us work first, and we will tell you afterwards,” was their answer. But the Captain was not content, and would make them fix their price. They then said, "We will leave it with you, but we wish you to pay us in flour and sugar." As the natives generally do not use flour for their food, the Captain wondered at this strange request, and at the earnest manner of the men; but, without asking 66 any more questions, he set them to work. That work was well done; the Captain was satisfied; he readily paid for it in flour and sugar, as the people desired. But what did they do with it? They sent it all as a present to their missionary, for whose wants and sorrows they felt and cared far more than for their own. For many years, the Aitutakians had held their great missionary meeting in May, and had given willingly to the Society. But in 1854 they had lost and suffered so much that the Missionary told them that he thought there should not be any meeting that year. But they would, not hear of this. "No," they answered; "whether our contributions be little or much, we will have our meeting." That meeting was held, and though many had lost much, and some all they possessed, they gave in money and arrowroot, to the London Missionary Society, the large sum of L.80. But this was not all they did. They had Missionaries of their own labouring in heathen islands-men whom they had sent, and whom they felt themselves bound to support. For these they contributed native cloth, and other articles which they needed. For one of them, named Apollo, they bought a boat which MISSIONARY ZEAL AND LIBERALITY OF SOUTH-SEA ISLANDERS. cost them L.10; and to the halftaught heathen amongst whom he laboured, they sent 100 bonnets, which the Aitutakian women had plaited and made up, 60 hats, 100 yards of native cloth, and 300 yards of calico and print, which they had bought from ships which came to their shores. As these simplehearted Christians wished to do good to the soul as well as to the body, they had a few useful words written inside every hat. These were generally a passage of Scripture, or some sentence which was likely to strike the mind of half-enlightened savages. On looking into one of the hats, the Missionary was moved to read these words, "This hat is for the man who murdered Williams." The same spirit showed itself at Mangaia. In 1846 that spot was also visited by a dreadful storm, which swept down chapel, schoolhouse, and almost every dwelling in the island; but in the course of a year, and as soon as they could raise produce, they contributed L.73 to the London Missionary Society, and in 1848 they sent to that and the Bible Society L.170. Thus they proved that their spirit was the same as that of the Christians in Macedonia, whom the Apostle Paul commended for abounding, out of 43 their deep poverty, in the riches of their liberality. It should be added that, when the people of Mangaia suffered so much, and at the same time gave so freely to the cause of Christ, no English Missionary had been sent to their island. But, though they loved their Native Ministers, they wished very much for an English Missionary. They therefore re solved, at a public meeting, in 1848, that one of the brethren labouring at Rarotonga should write to the Directors for one. As they did not get what they asked so soon as they desired, they said to the Missionary, "Write again; ask how much property we shall send to England to buy a Missionary; for we will buy one, and we will feed him, and pay him." One day a But wherever the Gospel works as it has worked in the South Seas, it opens the heart and the hand in much the same way. At the Mauritius, a chapel has been built, and the people gladly gave what they could to pay for it. poor African came to Mr Le Brun's house, leading his two children. As soon as the Missionary saw him, he said, "Well, my good man, what do you want?" Sir," he answered, "I was at chapel yesterday, and heard you say you would be happy 44 EARNEST DESIRE FOR INSTRUCTION. to receive some trifles for the debt. Well, sir, on my way home, I was saying to myself, Could I not do something? Could I not give two shillings?' My conscience said, 'Yes, and more too. Thou couldst easily give eight shillings.' These little boys of mine said they must also give something, and they have brought two shillings." The Missionary was surprised and delighted to receive from this poor African and his children what was a large sum to them twelve shillings. Let this spirit, dear readers, be yours. Act, in giving, from principle, as these converted heathen acted. Put the question often to your heart, "How much owest thou unto the Lord?" and think it one of your highest privileges that God requires, and that He will accept your offerings.—Juv. Miss. Mag. EARNEST DESIRE FOR INSTRUCTION. 66 "A NUMBER of strangers,” writes a were living in the colony. I asked missionary from South Africa, pre- him, 'Are you the teacher of these sented themselves one Sabbath at the people?' 'No, sir,' he replied; ‘I Griqua chapel. On concluding the know nothing, and how can I teach ?' service, I inquired who they were, and ‘But they say that they heard somewas told that they were a party of thing of the Word of God from you.' Amakosa Kaffirs, who had come to 'Yes, sir, I will tell you how that hear the Word of God. Next was. While wandering about in the morning some of them called upon colony, I came to where these people me, and told me that they had deter- were living; and, as usual, in the mined to leave their own country, and evening, before going to sleep, I and come where the Word of God was my family sang a hymn. The Kaffirs taught. I inquired what made them came round us to see and hear what so anxious about instruction? They we were doing. They then asked replied, 'Some time ago, this man me some questions about what we (pointing to a very insignificant-look- had been singing; and I tried to ing little old man) came among us, and answer them as well as I could, by since then we have been desirous of telling them some few things I reinstruction.' This was an old Griqua, membered having heard at Griquawho had left Griquatown some years town. Since that time they have ago on a visit to his wife's friends, who wished me to remain with them till |