THE GOSPEL IN EUROPEAN TURKEY. Now that the public mind is directed to Turkish affairs, and speculating on the issue of present political difficulties, it may not be uninteresting to trace the first dawn of Gospel light as it breaks on the deep darkness which has brooded over that empire for ages. Twenty-seven years ago the British chaplain was the only Protestant minister in this part of the world. The Rev. Joseph Wolff, missionary to the Jews, about that time visited Constantinople, and shortly after it was occupied as a field of labour, with a view to diffuse Scriptural truth among the different sections of nominal Christians, chiefly Greeks, Armenians, and Syrians, who were found in the city and neighbourhood. It has now become a great missionary station, occupied by nine American missionaries, four of the Free Church of Scotland, one elonging to the Church of the Waldenses, two in connexion with the London Jews' Society, an English and a Prussian ambassadorial chaplain, two native Protestant pastors, and two native Prostestant preachers, beside their wives and single ladies engaged in school teaching. The education of the young has received attention. There are numerous schools carried on with encouraging success. About four hundred and fifty children and youth are almost daily under the influence of prayer, divine truth, and Christian kindness. In Constantinople are three churches, with two native pastors; others are formed at St. Stefano, Pera, and other towns and villages, chiefly gathered from the Armenian population, many of whom value the Scriptures, and are hopefully pious, while others appear favourable to the truth. Diligent efforts have been made to give the Bible to the various inhabitants of Turkey. A late issue from the press was a pocket edition of the New Testament in modern Armenian, published at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society. This has proved eminently acceptable, and is already performing its mission with great success. Hundreds of these little volumes are now daily carried about in the bosoms of the people, enabling them to appeal at all times directly to the Divine testimony in regard to any point of doctrine, or question of duty. Copies are much sought for by Armenians. Merchants and travellers too are carrying them to the most distant parts of the land. Small Bible and book depôts are maintained at all the missionary stations, which are supplied from the central depository at the capital. On the shelves of the latter are found copies of the Scriptures, in twenty-four different languages and dialects, and tracts and books in several. This book-store, situate in the principal business street of the city, is becoming a centre of attraction, and place of resort. The old cry, that 'Protestant Bibles are corrupted copies,' is now seldom heard. The Armenian priests even make no secret of possessing and using them; and they and their flocks are more and more ready to confess that they must follow the word of God wherever it leads. It is an interesting fact that four hundred copies in the Ararat dialect have been recently sent from Constantinople into Russia. Three presses are in use at Conatantinople, chiefly under the charge of the American missionaries. The printing done in the year 1851 (the last account received in England), consisting of Scriptures and tracts, was 47,500 copies, in the Armenian, Armeno-Turkish, Hebrew-Spanish, and Bulgarian languages. In the present disturbed state of political affairs in this part of the earth, many Christian hearts will not fail to offer earnest prayer that God would overrule all events, even those which are the darkest and least promising, for the furtherance of his truth: 'Where now the Turk his power extends, The above is taken from the last November number of the Christian Spectator, one of the valuable publications of that invaluable institution, THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY. PRAYER OF A NEGRO. THE sinner, when his conscience is aroused, not only accuses himself but his partners in guilt also. A rich southern gentleman careless, about his soul used often to invite his minister, a mere hireling, to hunt, drink wine, play cards, and join parties of pleasure with him. The poor worldling was taken very ill, and his life was declared to be in danger. His mind was now greatly agitated, for he felt quite unprepared to die. His physician asked him if he would not send for his minister, to converse with him, and offer prayer on his behalf? No! he would not. He had no confidence in him. He could hardly bear the mention of his name. He had a pious negro called by the name of Ben. The master had sometimes overheard him when engaged in prayer. "Call for Ben!' said he. He came. Ben,' said the dying man, 'can't you pray for your poor master?' He immediately fell on his knees, and pleaded earnestly for the salvation of his master's soul, and his prayer, it is hoped, was heard and answered. MUNIFICENCE OF A NEGRESS. A YOUNG lady, a visiter of a Bible Association in New York, entered an obscure cellar, in which she found a negress advanced in years, and far gone in a consumption, with her aged husband sitting by her bedside, and another coloured woman acting in the capacity of nurse and servant. The young lady told them the benevolent design of her visit. As soon as the sick woman heard that she came on an errand of mercy, her withered and sickly countenance assumed an unwonted glow and brightness. After expressing a steadfast hope of salvation through the merits of the Saviour, she gave the following epitome of her life. She said that formerly she was a slave in New Orleans: that by her industry and economy, she and her husband were enabled to purchase their freedom, and in the course of two or three years more, to lay up about four hundred dollars. That one morning, hearing that a number of slaves were about to be sold by auction, she determined to attend the sale, and, if possible, to buy one of the female captives and restore her to liberty. I have so much money,' she said, 'and if I can make it the means of redeeming one of my fellow beings from slavery, then I can say to my soul, depart in peace.' She went and purchased one for two hundred and fifty dollars. But now' said she, 'I must place her under the ministry of the Gospel.' She took a passage for herself, her husband, and her liberated friend, for New York. When they landed, she said, 'Now you are free, and are in a free State, where you can enjoy the privileges of the Gospel: all that I ask for, having procured your freedom, is, that you would seek the favour of God. If you like to live with me, and with me work for your support, I shall be rejoiced, but you are at liberty to do as you please.' The liberated woman accepted the invitation of her benefactress, and was found by the young lady acting as her deliverer's nurse, and enjoying with her the felicity of that heavenly citzenship, in which there is neither bond nor free, but all are one in Christ Jesus. Let us cease to pronounce our chief encomiums on those who have contributed of their abundance for the relief of the wretched; here was a poor, aged, afflicted daughter of Africa, who had given her all to procure the freedom and promote the salvation of one unhappy slave! COMPASSION OF AN AFRICAN WOMAN. WHEN the celebrated traveller, MUNGO PARK, was in Africa, he was directed by one of the native chiefs to a village to pass the night. He went, but as the order was not accompanied by any arrangement for his reception he found every door closed against him. Turning his horse loose to graze, he was preparing, as a security from wild beasts, to climb a tree and sleep among the branches, when an affecting incident occurred, which gives a most pleasing view of the negro female character. An old woman returning from the labours of the field, cast on him a look of compassion, and desired him to follow her. She led him to an apart ment in her hut, procured a fine fish, which she broiled for his supper, and spread a mat for him to sleep on. She then desired her maidens, who had been gazing in fixed astonishment on the white man, to resume their tasks, which they continued to ply through a greater part of the night. They cheered their labours with a song, which must have been composed extempore, as Mr. PARK, with deep emotion, discovered, that he himself was the subject of it. It said in a strain of beautiful simplicity : MAGNANIMITY OF AN AFRICAN MAN. THE following account of the conduct of an unenlightened African negro, is furnished in Captain SNELGRAVE'S account of his voyage to Guinea. A new England sloop, trading there in 1752, left a second mate, WILLIAM MURRAY, sick on shore, and sailed away without him. Murray was at the house of a black named CUDJOE, with whom he had commercial dealings, and formed a friendship. He recovered, and the sloop being gone, he continued with his friend till some opportunity should offer of his returning home. In the mean time a Dutch ship came into the road, and some of the blacks, coming on board her, were treacherously seized and carried off as slaves. Their relations and friends, transported with rage, ran to the house of Cudjoe, to take revenge by killing Murray. Cudjoe stopped them at the door, and demanded what they wanted. The white men,' said they, have carried away our brothers and our sons, and we will kill all white men. Give 6 us the white man you have in your house, that we may kill him.' 'Nay,' said Cudjoe, the white men that carried away your relations are bad men; kill them when you can take them: but this white man is a good man, and you must not kill him.' 'But he is a white man,' they cried, and the white men are all bad men, and we will kill them all.' No,' said he 'you must not kill a man who does no harm, only because he is white. This man is my friend, my house is his citadel; I am his soldier, and must fight for him; you must kill me before you can kill him. What good man will ever come again under my roof, if I let my floor be stained by a good man's blood? The negroes, seeing his determination, and being convinced by his discourse that they were wrong, went away ashamed. In a few days MURRAY ventured abroad again, accompanied by his friend CUDJOE, when several of them took him by the hand, and told him they were glad they had not killed him, for he was a good man. The above incident reminds us of the apostle's saying, that 'for a good man some would even dare to die,' and leads us to reflect upon the surpassing unparalleled love of Christ, who 'died the just for the unjust, that he might bring sinners to God.' QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. We strew thy pathway to the tomb. We light thy spirit to the skies. O SUN, what makes thy beams so bright? NATURE, whence sprang thy glorious frame? O LIGHT, thy subtle essence who may know? Bow in the cloud, what to man dost thou bear? Rise, glitter, break; yet, BUBBLE, tell me why? Stay, METEOR, stay thy falling fire! No, thus shall all the hosts of heaven expire! OCEAN, what law thy chainless waves confined ? That which in Reason's limits holds thy mind. TIME, whither dost thou flee? I travel to Eternity. ETERNITY, what art thou,-say? Time past, time present, time to come,-to-day. Ye DEAD, where can your dwelling be? The house for all the living;- come and see. O LIFE, what is thy breath? A vapour lost in death. O DEATH, how ends thy strife? In everlasting life. O GRAVE, where is thy victory? ALEXANDER THE GREAT. MONTGOMERY, THE name ALEXANDER is composed of two Greek words, signifying defender of men. It is the appellation ordinarily given by Homer to Paris, the son of Priam, and it was borne by two kings of Macedon, before the great Alexander's time. This far famed hero was son of Philip and Olympias. He was born B. C. 355, the same night in which the famous temple of Diana at Ephesus was burnt by Erostratus. He was a pupil of Aristotle for five years. He received his teacher's instructions with deference and delight, and ever after held him in high esteem. Very numerous are the wars he waged, and vast the multitudes slain by the troops he headed. The manner however in which he acted towards the Jews, was a surprising exception to the course he in general pursued. It is said, that 'after the taking of Tyre, Alexander marched against Jerusalem, intending to punish the city for its disobedience to his commands. But the same God who for the sake of his servant David had shielded the holy city from the assaults of Sennacherib, did not now desert his servants, nor suffer them to receive harm in the conscientious fulfilment of their national faith. On the approach of Alexander, Jaddua, in obedience to a revelation from heaven, went out to meet him on an eminence at a short distance from Jerusalem, clad in his pontificial robes, attended by the priests in their proper habits, and by the people in white garments. The conqueror was coming in anger to destroy, but no sooner did he see the high priest advancing towards him thus accompanied, than being struck with awe, he saluted him in the most reverent manner. 'While all stood amazed at this behaviour, so contrary to their expectations, Parmenio inquired of Alexander the reasons that induced him to pay such adoration to the high priest. To which Alexander answered, that he did not adore the priest, but that God whose servant he was, and further added, that when he was at Dio, in Macedonia,deliberating concerning his war upon Persia, there appeared unto him in a dream, a man like Jaddua, and clothed in the same habit, who encouraged him to his expedition, with the promise that God would be his guide, and give him the empire of the Persians; that as soon as he saw the high priest, he recognised him to be the same that had appeared to him at Dio, and therefore in the person of the priest, he adored the God who had thus granted him a revelation of his will. Alexander kindly embraced Jaddua, and accompanying him to Jerusalem, offered sacrifices to God in the Temple, and being made acquainted by the high priest with the prophecies of Daniel, which predicted the overthrow of the Persian empire by a Grecian king, he derived from them the greatest encouragement to carry on the war against Darius, not doubting but that he was the person described in the prophetic books. At his departure, these circumstances so effectually recommended the Jews to the favour of Alexander, that when they petitioned him to allow them to live under their own laws, and in the free exercise of their religion, and further, to be exempted from tribute every seventh year, because their law forbade them to cultivate the soil in the year of the Sabbath, he immediately complied with their request.' * * Encyclopedia Metropolitana. He conquered Thrace and Illyricum, and destroyed Thebes. After he had been chosen chief commander of all the forces of Greece, he declared war against the Persians, who, under Darins EAR-RINGS. and Xerxes, had laid waste and plundered the noblest of the Grecian cities. With 32,000 foot and 5000 horse he invaded Asia, and after the defeat of Darius at the Granicus, he conquered all the provinces of Asia Minor. He obtained two other celebrated victories over Darius, at Issus and Arbela, took Tyre after an obstinate siege of seven months, and the slaughter of 2000 of the inhabitants in cold blood, and made himself master of Egypt, Media, Syria, and Persia. From Egypt he visited the temple of Jupiter Ammon, and bribed the priests, who saluted him as the son of their god, and enjoined his army to pay him divine honours. He built a town which he called Alexandria, on the western side of the Nile, near the coast of the Mediterranean, an eligible situation, which his penetrating eye marked as best entitled to become the future capital of his immense dominions, and to extend the commerce of his subjects from the Mediterranean to the Ganges. His conquests were spread over India, where he fought with Porus, a powerful king of the country, and after he had invaded Scythia, and visited the Indian Ocean, he retired to Babylon, loaded with the spoils of the east. He died at Babylon, the 21st of April, in the thirty-second year of his age, after a reign of twelve years and eight months of brilliant and continued success, 323 B.C. His death was so premature, that some have attributed it to the effects of poison and excess of drinking. Antipater has been accused of causing the fatal potion to be given him at a feast. His great intrepidity more than once endangered his life; he always fought as if sure of victory, and the terror of his name was often more effectual than his arms. He was always forward in every engagement, and bore the labours of the field the same as the meanest of his soldiers. When he had conquered Darius, he ordered himself to be worshipped as a god, and Callisthenes who refused to do it was shamefully put to death. He also murdered, at a banquet, his friend Clitus, who had once saved his life in a battle, because he had enlarged upon the virtues and exploits of Philip, and preferred them to those of his son. His victories and success increased his pride. He dressed himself in the Persian manner, and giving himself up to pleasure and dissipation, he set on fire the town of Persepolis in a fit of madness and intoxication, encouraged by the courtezan Thais. 'As to his character, all the world knows,' says Mr. Bayle, 'that it was equally composed of very great virtues and very his son, for how could Macedon bound the ambition of a man who reckoned the whole world too small a dominion?' If he who is the slaughterer of men cannot with propriety be termed their defender, and if he is not great who is not good, the title of Alexander the Great, of man's great protector, is one that ill befits this celebrated prince. THE COFFEE TREE. EAR-RINGS. EAR-RINGS appear to have been worn from the influence of idolatry as well as vanity. Those in JACOB's family were probably used for superstitious purposes, as it is recorded, that they were delivered up to the Patriarch with all the strange gods,' and buried by him 'under the oak which was by Shechem.' (Gen. XXXV. 4.) PLINY says, that ear-rings with the images of their gods, were worn by the Romans. The Indians also employed them as preservatives against enchantment. The use of ear-rings has not been confined to women, but been adopted by men also, and of various nations. Those worn by Eastern females, have been commonly made of gold, and enriched by two pearls, with one ruby placed between them. THE COFFEE TREE. THE ARABIC name of the plant is Cahoueh, of which word, the Persian Cahwa, the Turkish Cahvey, and our Coffee are generally regarded as corruptions. BRUCE however derives the English appellation from Caffee, a province of Narea, in Africa, where it grows spontaneously in great abundance. The tree rises about sixteen feet in height with a straight stem, the flowers are of a pale white, fragrant but rapidly fading; the leaves are evergreen; the fruit resembles a cherry, and grows in clusters. In Arabia the fruit when ripe is shaken from the tree and dried by the sun on mats. These are spread upon an even floor and the husks are broken off by a heavy roller. The berries are then winnowed, and exposed a second time to the sun. In the West Indies, the berries are gathered by the hand; they are dried in the sun on platforms, and husked by being pounded in wooden mortars. One hundred bushels of fruit will on an average produce one thousand pounds of coffee, each plant yielding from one to two pounds weight. The appearance of a coffee plantation during the season of flowering, which does not last longer than a day or two, is very interesting. In one night the blossoms expand so profusely as to appear like trees in England when a snow storm has come at the close of Autumn and loaded them while full of foliage. Coffee was first seen in France about the middle of the sixteenth century. M. de la Haye brought it to Marseilles in 1644; M. Thevenot to Paris in 1657. But in neither of these cities was it consumed, unless in private families, till many years afterwards, ALEXANDER THE GREAT. great vices. He had no mediocrity in any thing but his stature: in his other properties, whether good or bad, he was all extremes. His ambition rose even to madness. His father was not at all mistaken in supposing the bounds of Macedon too small for (See page 59.) A public coffee-house was established in Marseilles, in 1671, and the visit of Soliman Aga, the Ambassador of Mohammed IV., introduced the use of it very freely into Paris about two years earlier. Mr. Daniel Edwards, a Turkey merchant, enjoys the reputation of having made coffee practically known in England. On his return from the East in 1657, he brought with him a Ragusian Greek servant, Pasqua Rosèe, who was eminently skilled in the mysteries of this decoction, which he prepared every morning. The novelty at length drew so great a resort to the house of Mr. Edwards, that this unlucky merchant lost all the forepart of the day; and in self-defence he at length permitted the Greck, in partnership with the coachman of his son-in-law, to set up a coffee-house in St. Michael's Alley, Cornhill. This was the first coffee-house in London. A second soon arose out of it, for the partners quarrelled, and the coachman established himself separately, in St. Michael's-churchyard. Pasqua Rosée's original advertisement may still be scen in the British Museum. It is on a single half sheet, and is headed The virtue of the Coffee-drink first publiquely made and sold in England by Pasqua Rosèe made and sold in St. Michael's-Alley in Cornhill by P. R. at the signe of his own head. The most remarkable property of coffee is its power of relieving drowsiness, and of retarding the access of sleep for six or eight hours. Hence its introduction after dinner, to remove the torpor that follows repletion. Hence, also, its more common use as a morning than an evening beverage, and the impropriety of taking it late at night, or soon before going to bed, at least if sleep be desired. These properties, which are by some persons regarded as infelicitous, prove its chief recommendations to others, especially to literary men, who frequently take it to excess, in order to prolong their studies unconquered by sleep, the mind seeming to be enlivened by its use, and the body invigorated and calmed. It appears likewise to induce far less depression and nervous irritability than are known sometimes to follow a too free indulgence in the use of tea. The Turks and other Asiatic nations to whom indolence is enjoyment, moderate the effects of coffee by mixing opium with it. As a general palliative, strong coffee is often serviceable in various kinds of headache, and where its own sedative power is unavailing, it forms one of the best vehicles for the administration of laudanum. It diminishes in some degree the narcotic or sleepy power of the latter, but counteracts its distressing secondary effects. When laudanum is intermixed with strong coffee for the cure of many modifications of headache, tranquillity and ease are produced, though there may be no sleep: when laudanum on the contrary is taken alone, sleep will perhaps follow, but is mostly succeeded by nausea and a return of pain. Hence the Turks and Arabians make strong coffee their common vehicle for opium, from its tendency to counteract the narcotic principle of the latter, and on the same account it is plentifully administered, after the stomach has been cleared, in cases of poisoning by opium, THE FRIENDLY VISIT. THE engraving in page 61 is the second of Mr. Measom's six 'Bible Prints.' It represents the intemperate husband's wretched home, and a friendly visit that he received from a Christian minister. It may be supposed that a conversation somewhat to the following effect takes place. The affectionate Pastor, in the language of sympathy and kindness, says to the unhappy husband, Pray tell me the cause of your poverty and grief.' husband, hiding his face with his hands, and silent through shame, his afflicted wife replies, 'It is drinking! Sir, drinking! This is the cause of our poverty and woe, this is bringing us all to disgrace and rags.' The The Minister again addressing the miserable man says, 'Ah, my heart bleeds for you and for your family, yet there is hope. There is a Bible full of promises and a Saviour full of love. Read the Word of God attentively, it will lead you to that Saviour, then you will have strength to break through your evil habits, and to lead a sober and holy life; your iniquities will all be pardoned, and your soul be saved; your family will then be in the high way to have all their temporal as well as spiritual wants supplied, to be honourable, useful, and happy in this world, and in the next to live with you in heaven for ever." The Wife thereupon rejoins, Ah! sir, we once possessed a Bible, but-alas! my poor husband sold it to buy ardent spirits with the money.' 'If I give you a Bible, will you read it? the minister asks the husband. The husband replies, 'I will, I will, and follow your advice.' The Pastor reads a portion of God's holy word, offers up a prayer for the divine blessing, presents the humbled sinner with a Bible, and takes his leave, rejoicing at the manner in which his visit of mercy had been received. THE POWER OF A KIND WORD. I REMEMBER hearing of an incident which affords a striking illustration of the sentiment uttered by the inspired writer. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. A young woman, who at one time had been connected with Christian people, and had regularly attended the house of prayer, gradually allowed herself to be led away into the follies of sin, till she became a perfect outcast. She soon found that the way of transgressors is hard: overtaken by poverty and ill health, stung by remorse, destitute of friends, and apprehending that no human being would either aid or pity her, she determined to take away her life. In accordance with her purpose, she was hastening to some lonely meadows, through which a river flowed, into which she resolved to plunge in order to terminate her misery. When approaching the river side, a Christian minister coming in an opposite direction, aware of her sad life, at first thought of either stepping into a different path, or of turning back, that he might not meet her. He however changed his intention, went forward, and as he was passing her, said, in a kindly tone, 'Good morning, Sarah.' He had walked onward but a few paces when the poor girl, affected by the friendly recognition, said to herself, I thought no one cared at all for me, or would ever speak a kind word to me any more, but I find I am mistaken. Perhaps, even yet I may recover myself, I may yet be happy.' She forthwith abandoned her dreadful purpose, and it is hoped began to live a holy and peaceful life. Let the law of kindness be ever in our tongue! JOHN SUGDEN. BE GENTLE TO THE ERRING. SPEAK gently to the erring- Speak kindly to the erring Thou yet may'st lead him back, With holy words, and tones of love, From misery's thorny track. Forget not thou hast often sinn'd, And sinful yet must be; Deal kindly with the erring one, As God hath dealt with thee! ENJOYMENT OF LIFE. THERE are a thousand things in this world to afflict and sadden-but oh! how many that are beautiful and good! The world teems with beauty-with objects that gladden the eve and warm the heart. We might be happy if we would. There are ills which we canuot escape-the approach of disease and death, misfortunes, the sundering of earthly ties, and the cankerworm of grief, but a vast majority of the evils that beset us might be avoided. The cause of intemperance, interwoven as |