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unworthy of a place among its members. Never can I forget this my first and only enjoyment of this meeting. "Of the efficient and successful labours of our Scotch brethren, it is needless for me to speak. They are not only enlarging their field of labour, but are permitted to gather largely for the granary of their Lord. One young man, a member of their institution, was baptized and received to church-fellowship. The communion

which I attended with Mrs Scott, was a most solemn and refreshing season. (Mrs Freeman was too unwell to be present.) Beside us were natives of almost every country, and none that seemed to enjoy the hour more than a venerable converted rabbi.

"Of Miss Laing's school, six had recently been baptized on a profession of faith, and several others were hoping that they had passed from death to life. (Since we were there, five more have been baptized on profession of faith.) Miss Laing's school is composed of orphans of the Eurasian and Portuguese classes, with a few others of various races. There is also in connection with it a native girls' school, taught by the widow of the beloved Mahendra. The orphan girls have made unusual progress in all their studies. On the day which we were present, I observed a peculiar zest in the Bible examination, an alacrity and earnestness that was heartstirring, and which I did not fully comprehend, till I learned that the Lord was in their midst by his Spirit.

"Mrs Ewart has a most important and delightful girls' school in the city, composed of Jews, Portuguese, and Armenians. They are making rapid advances in learning, and give hope that a rich harvest may be reaped from this field. Let a shower of grace once fall upon it, and its influence will reach a large circle of influential classes of the people to which these girls belong.

"By these various schools the leaven of truth and righteousness is working extensively, and the effects are becoming more and more apparent. This is manifest in the increased number of those who come forward to join the people of God. The people begin to appreciate the value of missionary schools. This is evident from the large number that attend them. But recently the missionaries of the London Society, who have a large central school, with branches in the suburbs of Calcutta, numbering over seven hundred boys, received from the

respectable people of the place a paper expressing their thanks to the missionaries for establishing these schools, and their high gratification in their success.

"Near the Free Church Institution, Muti Lal Seal, a wealthy native gentleman, and others, have opened an opposition school, where every effort is made to attract boys from the Free Church Institution. The school is free to all, and yet they have only about three hundred boys, while the Free Church Institution has about twelve hundred. The above school is supported by a subscription, which subscription Dr Duff has been so fortunate as to get and file for future use. By this subscription it may be predicted that the school will not do wonders. On my way to the Free Church Institution one morning, fell into the company of young men from both these institutions. We conversed together on the excellencies of each, and all agreed that in the one there was order, happiness, high attainments, and great privileges, as the teachers were all able, kind, and excellent men; while in the other, there was no government, all disorder and confusion, no peace, no improvement, and the teachers were not to be named as such. It was clear that the youth of choice earnestly desired the privileges of the Free Church Institution. Such are the voluntary testimonies of the people to the value of missionary institutions,

"In Calcutta, and its immediate vicinity, there are nineteen stations and sub-stations of different missionary societies, with thirty-five missionaries and their assistants; and these have a native Christian community of 2285, and of these 520 belong to the fellowship of Christ."

The Three Hindu Boys,

THREE Indian boys were sent by their relations to fetch some clay. What do you think the clay was for? Something was to be made of it: what could it be? A house to live in? No. Was it to make brick with ? No. To make pots and pans with? No. Oh! sad, sad ignorance and folly! it was to make an idol with-a god-something that the poor Hindus were to bow down to, and pray to, and to trust in.

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The three boys talked together about it as they went

along "What will be the use of the idol when it is made?" said one. "How can the clay, when it is made into an image, be any thing else than what it was before -a lump of clay?" "A fine thing to pray to, to be sure," said another boy. "I don't like even to go and fetch the clay," added the third. "Nor I,"-" Nor I," said the two others. "No," said the third boy, "it is wicked to have any thing to do with it; God will be angry with us. I dare not fetch the clay.' The others agreed, and they resolved not to go. How was it that these lads knew that it was sinful to worship idols? They had been in the missionaries' school, and there they had been taught the word of God, and they had read in that word, "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; they have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not; they have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them."

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As the boys walked on, they encouraged each other more and more in their contempt for idols. wrong to pretend to care for them at all," said one boy, "and I wont any longer wear the silver idol about my neck." They all three said they felt the same, and they

unfastened from their necks the little silver boxes which they were accustomed to wear, each containing an image of a heathen god, and broke them to pieces, and threw them into some water which was standing by the side of the road along which they were passing.

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When they went to their homes, their relations asked them for the clay. "We have brought none," they replied; we will not bring the clay to make useless idols with. The great God in heaven will be angry with us if we make false gods.' Their relations were very angry, especially when they found out that they had thrown away their silver images. "We shall get you others," they said, "and we will make you wear them." So they brought others, and day after day they tried to make the boys wear them. They used all kinds of means, whipped them, made them go without food, and then flattered them, and made them promises of good things if they would but yield. At last two of them did yield.

The third boy stood out. His father was quite in a rage with him, and threatened to punish him very severely. The neighbours would not speak to him. The boys in the streets hooted at him as he walked along. Nevertheless, he stood firm. He went and told the missionaries of his trials, and they advised him to put his trust in God, and do right, even though the whole world were to take up arms against him.

This dear boy was only thirteen years old. We do not know what has become of him now, as, in order to get him away from the missionaries, his father sent him to a village twenty miles off. But God, his heavenly Father, is with him, and we trust that he will keep him faithful.

Dear children, how different is your lot from that of these Indian boys! What do ye more than they ?-Miss. Repos. March 1849.

CONVERSATION BETWEEN A MISSIONARY AND SOME PLAYACTORS AT SHANGHAI, CHINA.

I MET with an incident the other day which shows how firmly Satan retains the souls of his slaves in his grasp, even where they have some desire to get free. As I was passing by a temple in this city, I heard the noise and beating of gongs, which always accompany the performance of a play in honour of their gods. I entered, and, instead of going among the crowd, ascended the stage and went behind the scenes. In a moment I was

surrounded by the manager and those members of the company who were not engaged in acting. Wherever my eye 'rested I beheld some grotesque figure. Here were men dressed like women, having small shoes attached to the soles of their own. There stood others dressed in the curious but rich costumes of the most ancient dynasties, even so far back as the time of the three kings and five emperors, the earliest period spoken of in Chinese history. Young men made old by long beards, &c., women, priests, beggars, and high mandarins, all came flocking round me, offering a seat and some tea, and all very anxious to know who and what I was. Our conversation was somewhat as fol

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lows: replied. "Where do you live?" gate." ." "What business are you engaged in ?" "None." "Indeed! how do you get some rice then?" countrymen present me with money." are a beggar? "Yes, living in the country of Jesus, who inclines the hearts of his people to send me here to teach the Chinese how they may be saved." "Ah! Jesus must be excellent. Who is He?" "The Son of God, who came down from heaven, led a life of sorrow, and was nailed to a cross, in order to atone for our sins, and to bring us to heaven." Here several endeavoured to change the conversation; but he who was apparently the manager took me aside, made me sit down beside him, and having commanded silence, said, "You speak about going to heaven?" "Yes, in order to enjoy everlasting happiness." "But how can we get there?" "By repenting of your sins and believing in Jesus." "Do all foreigners believe in Jesus." "Alas! no: many are mere professors." "Ah! strange! it must be good to believe in Jesus. Do foreigners smoke opium ? " "No." After some further conversation, I gave them some copies of the Ten Commandments, and took my leave, inviting them all to come to my house. The manager came to me after a few days had passed, and told me that he wished very much to be delivered from his slavery to opium. I asked him why he wished to be cured of opium-smoking. He answered, "Because it is too expensive." I endeavoured to point out to him the insufficiency of such a motive, and told him that we should forsake our sins from love to Jesus. He seemed most anxious to get away from his enemy, but he could not summon up resolution enough to go and reside in an hospital for a short time, in order to be cured. He asked me, among other questions, whether, in case he should become a disciple of Jesus, he must also wear a foreign dress like mine, I told him that Jesus required a change of heart, not a change of dress, in His people. He several times expressed a wish to come frequently, and to be instructed previously to being baptized; but I could see plainly that he was halting between two opinions. After a long conversation, he went away, and have

not seen him since.-Church Missionary Gleaner,

March 1849.

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