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Work increasing, strength failing.

SINCE my return, nine days ago, I have been bringing up arrears of work. There is plenty to do. Our institution still increases: and the teaching of about one thousand youths, nearly six hundred of whom are studying English, is a solemn, heavy responsibility. Mr. Gardiner has left Puna for the hills sick; and as he will not be back for more than four months, you can see that my hands are full. I wish my strength were what it once was. Even since I arrived, eighteen months ago, the numbers in the Puna Institution have increased by about two hundred and fifty, and the work presses very hard on both Mr. Gardiner and me. Neither of us is strong.-Rev. Dr. Murray Mitchell.

AFRICA.

Two Caffre Christians.

JAMES MACKINLAY was baptized in 1825. He was an eminently pious and zealous man. He died in a good old age some years since. During the war of 1835, he kept a correct calendar that he might know which day was his Lord's. This he did by notching his walking-stick for the week days, and putting a different mark for the Sabbath. He used to tell of a remarkable deliverance from death which he had in that war. He saw the troops coming after him. It was needless for him to attempt to escape, as he was very lame. He went into a clump of tall grass which was close by. There he committed himself to God in prayer, shutting his eyes that he might not see the flash of the guns. When he opened his eyes the soldiers could not be seen.

His aged widow, Elizabeth, remains to this day a consistent and cheerful Christian. Her head is white as snow, and she has lost her eyesight, so that she requires to be led out and in; but her venerable form is still regularly seen in the church at Lovedale. Not very long since a white man spoke to her missionary of a little help for her. The missionary said, "If you give her a sixpence, she will give threepence of it to the monthly collection.' -Rev. Mr. Ross, Pirie.

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KATE AND THE GOAT.

I ONCE knew a little girl whose name was Kate, but she had a great fault, which sometimes got her into trouble : she was very stubborn. One day she had to cross a little stream of water, on a plank which served as a foot-bridge; but just as she got on one end, a goat stepped on the other. Now Kate resolved that she would not give up to a goat: so they met on the middle of the plank, and stood still for a few minutes, looking at each other. The goat COULD NOT turn back: so, as Kate WOULD NOT, he ended the dispute by pushing her into the water, and walking quickly over. She soon screamed for help, and was taken out dripping wet, and quite mortified. Though we should be FIRM in matters of duty and principle, let us not be STUBBORN about trifles, nor too proud to yield when we ought to do so.S. S. Messenger.

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SOME years ago, we were sailing up the river Thames, on our way to London. For miles before you reach London, you can see that you are coming near a city whose merchants are princes, and who bring their goods from afar. On every side are seen vast warehouses, and ships without number, whose tall masts and thickly tangled rigging remind one of a forest of larch firs in winter, when the trees have been stripped of their leaves.

Passing up the river, not far from Greenwich, we noticed a large ship lying at one side. Its masts and rigging were gone, but it was easy to see from its huge size, and the storey above storey of port-holes along its sides, that it had once been a ship of war.

We read on the stern its warlike name, "THE DREADNOUGHT. ." That ship had in its time stood many a storm, and braved for many a year the battle and the breeze. But its time of war was over. It was now anchored in peace. We guessed what it was kept for when we saw

men with sickly faces walking on the deck, and leaning over the bulwarks, and clean clothes hung out to dry at the windows, and on ropes on the deck. But passing up in the steamer, we read, in large letters along the ship's side, this affecting notice,

66 HOSPITAL FOR SEAMEN OF ALL NATIONS.'

Reader! what does this put you in mind of? We thought, as we read those generous words, of CHRIST, the ark of refuge, the Physician for perishing souls. Here was an hospital for the poor sailors. It seemed to say, "It is all one where you come from, for there is a welcome for every nation under heaven. No questions are asked, and there is nothing to pay, if you are only a sailor, and are sick and wounded, and need to be cured. sailors of all nations!"

Welcome,

Christ is the Physician of souls. Dear reader, you are by nature sick of the disease of sin, and if you do not get it cured, it will bring you to eternal death. It was to heal this disease Christ came, and suffered, and died. And now he sets before you the open door of salvation, and over that door is written, "A welcome for sinners of all nations!" No questions will be asked, and there is nothing to pay. It is all one how old you are, where you were born, whether you are rich or poor,—all that is needed is that you are a sinner, and feel you are perishing, and are willing to come to Christ and be saved. WHOSOEVER WILL, LET HIM COME.

THE GLASS BEE-HIVE.

THIS world is like the glass hives wherein bees sometimes work; we look down upon thern and see all the operations of the little creatures. So God looketh down and seeth all.-Spurgeon.

DISTRESS IN THE ISLAND OF SKYE.

In some parts of the Island of Skye, there is great distress among the children. Mr. Peter Macleod, one of the Gaelic school teachers, at Brogaig, near Portree, writes as follows, of date 13th March last, to the Rev. Mr. M'Lauchlan of Edinburgh :

"Around us there is not a house that has not two or three, or even six, sick, either of measles or of hoopingcough. Measles first broke out here in the beginning of the year, and by 2d February all my scholars were laid on beds of sickness. Such as followed our directions were hopefully recovering, but when they began to move out, dwing to their being ill clad and fed, they caught cold and fell into a relapse. Some are reduced to skin and bone.

"In this district five died of measles, and four of hooping-cough. Among the former was one of my dear scholars, an amiable girl of sixteen, who departed in a hopeful state. On her deathbed she was observed always in a praying frame, and out of the fulness of her heart repeating the most precious texts from the prophet Isaiah. Her early removal makes a blank in our meetings; but our mourning is not without hope. This part of the country is in a miserable state for want of medical men.'

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Mr. Macleod asks if a supply of medicines could be sent. This has at once been done by the kindness of a friend deeply interested in the Highlands.

Let our young readers who have plenty of food and warm clothing, and kind care when they are sick, think of and pray for those poor children. It has been often. said, and it is most true, that one half of the world does not know how the other half lives.

THE OUTSIDE THE RIGHT SIDE.

"Boys, which is the right side of a public-house for you?" asked a gentleman at a large meeting of children in Hull.

"The outside, sir," many young voices answered at

once.

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