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THE EK-QUE-NOO-AH-TOH-MEH (HUMAN SACRIFICES) OF THE HWAE-NOOEE-WHA (ANNUAL FESTIVAL) IN DAHOMEY.

He will; and He alone can have prepared that father's answer. The lad went home and soon found out the preacher, and attended the chapel services belonging to the American Mission. One Sunday while at service, some people came and arrested him for his father's debts, but the catechist, who is a well-known man, got him soon released, and stood surety for him, at the same time telling the people that it would not do for them to come and arrest people on Sunday; they would certainly get into trouble if they tried it on again. Then they promised not to interfere with the young fellow on Sunday; but if they saw him worshipping at the chapel on any other day, they would take him.

Time went on the young man attended the services as usual; when one day a mob came and took him a second time, and one of the men stole his money, saying that it was to pay the father's debt; instead of that, he took the money to the Opium Hospital, and with it paid the necessary fee for admittance, as he wished to be cured of the pernicious habit of opium smoking. While he was there he heard the truth, and as soon as he got well enough, returned home, and heard more from the same preacher who had taught the lad. In the meantime the young man had been liberated, and they were both under instruction together. But the best news is that they believed the Word, and were baptized.

The young man had very much persecution to bear from his betrothed and her heathen relatives, she threatening to hang herself rather than be married to a Christian. However they were married. He tried to be joined in wedlock according to the rites of the Church, while her parents brought in the heathen worship, and made so much ado that it was almost impossible for the clergyman to perform the ceremony. After they were married the wife was a bitter persecutor to her husband, until lately, and we are hoping that she will soon be a true helpmeet to him, and join him in serving the one true God.

I have told you this little incident to show you how unconsciously one person may be led to teach another the way of salvation.

The C.M.S. preacher has probably forgotten the young man, who some years ago inquired further into the truth. But in that day when the Saviour will make up His jewels, those who have sown the seed, and those who have reaped the harvest, "shall rejoice together." M. A. FOSTER.

THE STORY OF KING GEZO'S GIFT TO QUEEN

VICTORIA.

FEW days ago the newspapers announced that the King of Dahomey (West Africa) was about to celebrate what is called in that country "the custom," and had invited the English and French traders on the coast to come and see it. No wonder we read that they had declined the honour; for this "custom "is the barbarous sacrifice of a number of unoffending human victims. It is called the Ek-que-noo-ah-toh-meh (human sacrifices) of the Hwae-nooee-wha (annual festival); and the picture of it above (which appeared in the C.M. Intelligencer thirty years ago) is from a sketch made on the spot by Commander Forbes, R.N., who visited Dahomey in 1850.

Almost at the same time we hear of the death of an African lady who, when a little girl, narrowly escaped being sacrificed at this annual feast, and who was afterwards an especial protegée of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, and the mother of the Queen's Negro god-child. Let us take this opportunity to tell her story and present her portrait.

It was in May, 1850, that Commander Forbes of H.M.S. Bonetta, was sent by the British Government to visit King Gezo of Dahomey, in order to persuade him if possible to give up the slave trade. Of course he was unsuccessful; and he had a frightful glimpse of what Dahomian warfare and slave-catching

means.

He found human skulls by thousands, used in decorating doorways, built into walls, surmounting standards, ornamenting

drums and umbrellas, and hanging from ladies' girdles as drinking-cups! And he saw the Ek-que-noo-ah-toh-meh. Fourteen prisoners, dressed in white, with high red caps, were lashed hand and foot, tied in small canoes and baskets, lifted on the heads of attendants, tilted by the king's own hand over the wall into a pit beneath, and there decapitated-except three, whose lives Commander Forbes succeeded in saving. An alligator and a cat were sacrificed at the same time.

Two years before, King Gezo's army had utterly destroyed the town of Okeodan, in the Yoruba country, and carried away twenty thousand captives. One of these, a little girl of about nine years of age, whose parents had been beheaded, and who had been reserved for sacrifice, was handed by the king to Commander Forbes as a present to the Queen of England. It is this little girl whose death has lately occurred, and whose portrait accompanies these lines. By Her Majesty's command, the child, having been baptized by the name of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, was sent out to Sierra Leone, where she was placed in the C.M.S. Female Institution, then under the care of Miss Sass. Afterwards she was some time at a good school at Brighton, and ultimately was married there to an African merchant. The Rev. J. A. Lamb writes to us :

She was married in 1862 at Brighton to Mr. J. P. L. Davies, a leading native merchant at Lagos. The Rev. Prebendary Venn, the revered Honorary Secretary of our Society, the Bishop of Sierra Leone, and other clergy officiated on the occasion. I remember how much interest was felt on her arrival at Lagos in 1862 as a bride and the Queen's protegée; and also in 1863, when her first child was baptized, being named Victoria, and the Governor of Lagos, Sir John Glover, representing the Queen at the font, Her Majesty having very graciously consented to be a sponsor. A pretty silver cup was sent by the Queen as a present to her godchild.

Mrs. Davies had a very buoyant spirit, and was always ready to do a kind act. On one occasion, when it was apprehended that our Society's Female Institution at Lagos would have to be closed on account of the failure of Mrs. Roper's health, and her sudden departure for England, Mrs. Davies undertook to carry it on until a successor could be sent from England, and attended it regularly herself.

health failing, she was compelled to give it up. Her influence with her own people was very weighty, especially with the young women, who felt they could always go in their difficulties to Mrs. Davies, and be sure of her kind and judicious counsel and help.

In August last Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson were staying at Sandown in the Isle of Wight, and Mrs. Davies's daughter Victoria (the Queen's god-child), who was in England for her education, was with them. While there, the news arrived from Madeira that Mrs. Davies was seriously ill, and that she wished the Queen to be informed. This was done, and the following day Her Majesty sent for Victoria to come to Osborne. Just as she was starting thither with Mrs. Nicholson, the news came that her mother was dead. Mrs. Nicholson writes :-" I never shall forget the deep emotion shown by our beloved Queen when I gave her the letter announcing Mrs. Davies's death, and the motherly sympathy she expressed regarding her, saying with deep feeling,She was such a dear creature."

The lines on Mrs. Davies's cheeks, so clearly shown in the portrait, are the tribal marks of the Egbado tribe, a branch of

the Yoruba nation.

SARAH FORBES BONETTA (MRS. DAVIES), In her younger days, and in native dress.

Some months since she was seized with consumption, and was ordered to Madeira for a change, where she died on the 15th August last, leaving her husband and three children to deplore her loss. Mrs. Burton, the lady in charge of our Society's Female Institution in Sierra Leone, who was herself obliged to seek change of air in Madeira the early part of this year, in a letter dated from Sierra Leone, 13th September, says: Mrs. Davies is now free from all her sufferings. She was prepared, and looking forward to being with her Saviour. At times she wished to remain for the sake of the family, but she had faith even then to commit them all to her God." We trust that our most gracious Queen's eternal crown will be adorned with a jewel from Africa, who will rise up and call her blessed, as having been intrumental in leading her to that Saviour whom to know is life eternal.

Mrs. Nicholson, wife of the Rev. L. Nicholson, writes:

I can never forget the warm and sisterly welcome given me by Mrs. Davies on my first arrival in Lagos in December, 1869. She at once made me feel I was not regarded as a stranger in a strange land. She was then attending daily at the Female Institution, filling the place of the Lady Superintendent, who had to return to England from ill health. And when, soon after, the building of the new church commenced, both in the work of collecting funds and in the bazaars in aid of the same, we always found her willing and ready to do her part, taking a deep interest in all the work of the Church, teaching in the Sunday-school, until her

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OKUSENDE'S TWO BAGS.

A. E. MOULE.

APPY illustrations often serve good purpose in pressing home great truths. In various parts of the Mission field particularly a homely proverb or apt metaphor will sometimes do much towards securing the attention and winning the approbation of an opponent. An instance of this is given in a recent report from the Rev. Daniel Olubi, of Ibadan. It appears that at Ogbomosho, an out-station north of Ibadan, in connection with the Church Missionary Society, there is also a small Mission belonging to the American Baptists, under the charge of a Native agent, Mr. M. L. Stone. Not long since one of the Baptist converts died. Just before his death he charged his sons to bury his remains in the graveyard, and this charge the sons wished to carry out. The old man, however, had some heathen daughters who objected to this mode of burial, and going to a chief besought him, with many tears, to prevent it. On the night of the man's death a number of angry natives surrounded the home of Mr. Stone, who was making the coffin for the burial next day. Mr. Stone, fearing violence, barred his doors, and the rioters proceeded to pull down the fence around the house, and destroyed other property. From the house they went to the chapel and literally pulled it to pieces, carrying away the materials. The next day Mr. Stone went to the principal

chiefs and asked them to inquire into the case and to punish the offenders. Nothing came of this, however, and as the persecution still continued the Baptist agent wrote to Mr. Olubi at Ibadan, and begged for his interposition. Mr. J. Okusende, one of the C.M.S. catechists, was accordingly sent to see what could be done.

On arriving at Ogbomosho, Mr. Okusende found much angry feeling prevailing against the Christians and the Native evangelists, the former having been warned against attending service, and the latter ordered to quit the town. With some difficulty he obtained an interview with the Bale or head chief, and expostulated with him, enlarging on the freedom enjoyed by the Ibadan Christians. The Bale replied that they had no ill-feeling against the Mission, but made certain complaints against the converts.

"Now, why," said Mr. Okusende, "do you trouble yourselves about Such things? Why give heed to these foolish reports? I beg," he continued, "that you, the Bale, and the elders of Ogbomosho, make two bags, long and large. One must be strongly sewn up with a good thick bottom; but the other must be without a bottom. All reports and false accusations that would trouble you and agitate your town drop into that bag without the bottom, that they may fall through; but all beneficial and peaceful affairs, put into the other." When he had finished, the Bale authorised his "Are Ago" to welcome Mr. Okusende, and to wish him much blessing for the good message he had conveyed to them; and then himself added, "We are not vexed with the teachers, but with our own people, who go down to them to be taught, and who reveal secrets of Egimgun, Oro, &c." [these are well-known Yoruba superstitions]. "Stop," said Mr. Okusende, interrupting him, "such a word belongs to the bag with the hole; drop it in!" "Very well," the Bale replied, with a smile, and after a few words he declared that all the suspicions and misunderstandings were now removed out of the way. "The town elders and myself," he said, "have done with them. Church is again free and open as before, and all may attend who choose; and we will help in the rebuilding of the chapel.”

Was ever a moral victory so cleverly and pleasantly won? And may not we too adopt Mr. Okusende's advice, and have a bottomless Bag of Slander, and a strong and safe Bag of Truth?

TALKS WITH YOUNG WORKERS. BY THE REV. J. E. SAMPSON.

CHAPTER XI.

NOTICE," continued the Vicar, "among the memoranda of that true-hearted, whole-hearted worker for God, the late Frances Ridley Havergal, an item of intercession written in her Bible-That my life may be laid out to the best advantage as to God's glory and others' good; for the Church Missionary Society and Zenana work; for success and usefulness with my subscribers.' Not only was her eye upon subscriptions, but her heart was yearning over her subscribers. Her object was not pecuniary only, but personal. For their contributions she asked, but for their own souls for Christ she longed supremely." "She was singularly gifted, sir," remarked Mr. Harper. "Indeed she was. I would not certainly say that; but the charm and power of her life lay Her special gifts may be beyond our reach, though in that which is within the reach of every one of us: I mean her singlehearted devotedness to God. Her musical talent, her rare poetic gift, were perhaps peculiarly her own. But we may every one of us, in our own circle, live her life, for it was simply a life surrendered to God."

"Her life, after she apprehended fully the cleansing power of the blood of Christ, appears to have been one continued, unbroken prayer, as if she had said with her Master, and ours, 'I give myself unto prayer' (Psa. cix.)," said Mr. Harper.

"So let your life be, my young friends," said the Vicar. "Take your collecting book into your hand with prayer, knock at every door with prayer, enter every room with prayer, and God will give you His blessing." "Would you advise us to encourage the people in our districts to take boxes?" asked Mr. Welton.

"I would say, aim first at a subscription, to be called for regularly. This gives you and them a more personal interest in the transaction. You get the opportunity for the usefulness of which F. R. H. speaks. At the same time, together with the individual subscription paid monthly or otherwise, the box is a very useful means."

"Do you approve of having the box carried from door to door by the children?" asked Mr. Harper.

"Certainly not. I think that such a plan does the children harm, exposes them to what they ought not to feel very often, and also interferes with the work of collectors who are able to do it better. The box should be for home, for family mercies. Not to obtrude before every visitor who calls, but rather to be as the hand of God, always open to receive our thank-offerings, the tokens of our grateful love to Him for all His mercies to us. I knew a working man whose wife had been ill; she was much better and apparently recovering, and they each put half-a-crown in their misssionary box while they gave thanks to God. A child is sick and recovers, a year is passed without the doctor, an unlooked-for blessing comes, in a time of trouble a Christian friend (as Miss Havergal gracefully expresses it) throws a rose among the thorns. Oh! if we love God and mark His providences, we shall find many such occasions when the missionary box will be useful."

"Then you would not like me to ask the children in my Sunday-school class to take a box ?" asked Mr. Lukewell. "I had rather set my mind on having one in the hand of every one of them."

"It is highly important, I should say, Mr. Lukewell, to interest children in the great work, but I am always a little jealous lest parents should get to look upon it rather as children's work. It is real, serious service for the oldest and the wisest among us. Let children see that

their parents are interested in the missionary box." "But many of the parents have no interest in the work of God. May not a box in the hands of their child be the means of awakening their concern about it?"

"You are right, Mr. Harper. But I would suggest that a box should never be entrusted to a child without having obtained the consent of the father and mother. Your call to obtain that consent, your explanation of the reason which leads you to require it, your acquaintance thus made with them, may be the means of much usefulness to them; and the child will be led to see more clearly the greatness and solemnity of the work." "I shall certainly call upon the parents of all my Sunday scholars," said Mr. Welton.

"How often should boxes be opened ?" Mr. Lukewell asked. "Some say quarterly; my own experience leads me to say half-yearly. If you attempt to do it too frequently, the box-holders may think it tiresome. Also you may not be able to get them all in; and if you once relax the rule that boxes must be brought in at certain times you will get into confusion. I have sometimes sacrificed a box rather than give way in this matter. The thing must be done in a business-like way. Order is heaven's first law."

“When and by whom should the boxes be opened?" Mr. Harper asked. "I should say by yourself, Mr. Harper. I propose that you take the strings of this association into your hands, and be its working head." Several voices said, "Hear, hear!

"Would it not have more influence if the Vicar were to take that position?" suggested Mr. Harper, smiling.

"I should perhaps say so if I had not a Mr. Harper in my congregation. With the multitude of other strings I have to finger, I am afraid this would not have its due attention. Of course I should take my position as your captain, but the working of the ship would be better in lay hands." "Would it not save trouble," Mr. Green asked, "if the box-holders or collectors were to open their own boxes?"

"I should say," the Vicar answered, "decidedly not. Box-opening requires great care, and so does box-closing. If the box-holders do it, in many cases it is not done at the time, and when done it is not done effectually. I have seen many cases of this kind. It should be a strict rule that all boxes should come to Mr. Harper half-yearly, that he should open and close them with his own hand, and label them, and return them securely closed to those who hold them."

Mr. Lukewell asked. "Is it desirable that the children should see their own boxes opened ?"

"I think it would be well to have a half-yearly meeting for the purpose, and if the children come with their boxes, there can be no harm in opening them before them, unless it be the discouragement of the poorer children who have obtained less than others. At any rate, it relieves those who come from suspense. But by no means let the children take their empty should be secure before they are returned." boxes home again from that meeting. It is very essential that the closing

"You spoke of a label, sir, for the boxes."

"Yes, I propose having a label printed to gum on the bottom of the box, with a few hints upon it, the date when it must be returned, and what it contained when it was opened before. The new substantial boxes issued by the Society are a great improvement on the former flimsy ones, and will in the long run be a great saving to the Society. Carefully handled in the opening and closing by an experienced hand, they will last for years."

*Printed labels, of the kind mentioned by "the Vicar," can be obtained gratis at the Church Missionary House.-(ED.)

"I know a good old Christian who collects rags and bones and sells them, and puts the money into the box," said Mrs. Hope.

"I knew a zealous laundress who dropped into her box all she earned by crimping, if you know what that is," said the Vicar.

"I know," said Mrs. Hope, looking as if she was in advance of every one else.

"A clergyman friend of mine has a missionary box in his spare bedroom, labelled in pretty illuminated letters, 'FOR TRAVELLING MERCIES.' He is an old missionary, so no wonder his heart is alive. Being a hospitable man, he gets a goodly sum in it."

"A shopkeeper friend of mine," said Mr. Lukewell, "possessed some steps. His neighbours used often to borrow them, so he thought each borrower should put a penny in his missionary box. It was quite weighty when I was there last."

"Two lady friends of mine," said the Vicar, "wrote a book, and dedicated the gains thereof to the Lord of the whole earth. I don't think book-making is usually a profitable thing to the writers, but God blessed this effort, and a goodly sum found its way into the Church Missionary coffers, to the great joy of the ladies as well as of their pastor."

"Missionary zeal, when it is real, is very ingenious," Mr. Harper remarked.

"The object is so grand," said Mr. Verity, " and the spiritual affection which prompts the zeal is so warm; it is a fire in the bosom which will not be put out. Only let the love of Christ be in us by the Holy Ghost, and it constrains. It is a mighty force within us. It looks out with tearful earnestness upon perishing souls. It meets with rebuke often, and coldness, and hard words; but many waters cannot quench it. May this love of Christ, dear fellow-workers in the Lord, constrain you in all your work and service for His name!"

CHAPTER XII.

THERE are one or two other matters," continued the Vicar, "which I should like to bring before you in connection with parochial missionary work. You are engaging in the work of the Lord. Do so as His servants. Look to honour Him everywhere. In one way I think some of you forget, I will not say Him, but His honour. There is a holy table in the church: it is the Lord's Table; I would counsel His servants to meet their Master there, with a regularity which will show your regard, your love for Him. I think all missionary workers should

remember this."

"I am afraid I for one," said young Welton, "have not been so regular as I should have been."

Others, too, of the party felt that they could say the same.

"If we are the Lord's, we must serve and please Him in all things; He points to the world, and He says, 'Go there,' and in our way we are trying to do so; He points to His Table, and says, 'Do this.' Let us take care that we attend to both calls."

"We shall still, too, of course," continued the Vicar, "have our annual sermons in the church, and I shall look to you, my missionary helpers, to bring your subscribers both to these and to the annual meetings. A Church Missionary meeting is a blessed means of grace. We meet in the Lord's presence to hear what He is doing among the heathen, and IIe meets with us there. Always go round your districts and invite every subscriber to come and hear what is being done. It will increase their interest, and more than that, we may pray, and therefore hope, that while they hear of the salvation of heathens they may be stirred to think of their own."

"Some of my earliest religious impressions," said Mr. Harper, "were received at missionary meetings."

"I think," the Vicar answered, "it is often so."

"We shall have a juvenile meeting, of course, sir?" asked Welton. O yes; they will not be happy without that. It is a good plan, too, to have a Sunday-school address once in the month on the subject, illustrated with diagrams and pictures and maps, if they can be had. There is nothing like giving information, and there is no time for it like early life."

"Do you think it would be a good plan to invite the parents to come to the addresses?" asked Mr. Harper.

"I think it would; but perhaps it would be better to make that quarterly, and let two or three of the teachers prepare very short addresses for the occasion. It would do both them and you good. A collection might be made in the Sunday-school box, and to each contributor might be given a quarterly paper or token. Care, I should remind you, should also be taken to give the Quarterly Paper punctually to every subscriber, and the Token to every box-holder."

"A missionary prayer meeting is held once a month in some places, I understand," Mr. Harper remarked.

"Yes, and if it can be maintained it is a great help to the work. But I doubt whether, as a stated regular thing, it is ever maintained with any spirit. Prayer should be offered at all meetings of collectors, at your own meetings here, and on all occasions when as workers you come together.

But I confess I rely mainly on secret prayer. A prayer meeting may be a meeting-place for friends, but in the closet we meet only with God. There is no better helper of missionary work than the man who sustains continually, in the freshness and vigour of living faith, his supplications and intercessions in the closet. Pride and self-seeking will, I know, find their sinuous way everywhere, but they are less likely to be found there than anywhere."

"If we don't talk about our prayers," said Mrs. Hope.

"It almost ceases to be secret prayer if we come forth to talk about it to others," Mr. Harper remarked. The very essence and strength of closet prayer is that nobody knows but Jesus,' as Miss Havergal tells in one of her beautiful poems.'

"Let us keep it a secret till it tells itself in the answer," said Mr. Verity. "Your heavenly Father shall reward you openly.' The little fibrous rootlets which strike their hidden force in the soil, these are the support of the great tree. Cut them off and the tree withers, or stands but a great and almost leafless trunk. Secret prayers are these tender, life-drinking, life-imparting fibres which support our great Missionary Society."

"Would you like us to agree together to remember missionary work on a given day ?" asked Mr. Green.

"I think it is a good plan, because it is sure then to suggest itself once a week at least. I have for many years rarely omitted the mention of missionary work on Mondays, both in family and in closet prayer. Shall we all make Monday our united day of missionary intercession ? This was heartily agreed to.

"And I would suggest that we should be the Lord's remembrancers, not for the heathen only, but also for the Jews. (With me the Jews have their place on Fridays.) Remember the Committee who manage our Society, who select the missionaries, who have to deal with all the difficult cases which are continually rising in conducting so large a concern; remember the missionaries, the native pastors and teachers, the converts and their families. Oh! how the stream spreads into a sea when we get down upon our knees."

"And don't forget to give thanks," supplemented Mrs. Hope, “I'm sure I do now, for what the Lord is leading us all to do."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hope, for reminding us of that. A long life like yours in the service and love of the Lord is but a long catalogue of mercies to give thanks and praise for. But now I must leave you; I have prolonged your talk beyond its usual time."

"Not before I ask you two favours, dear sir," said Mr. Harper; "one is to give your advice as to our continuance of these Talks among ourselves. The other is that you will kneel down with us before you go."

"As to the former I should say, most decidedly. The object of your meeting is twofold. First, to pray together; and, secondly, to edify one another by imparting information concerning the work of the Spirit of God by means of this Society. Come together regularly. Read all the publications. Become familiar with all the work in all its branches. Know the names of the missionaries, aud be at home with what is going on in all fields of labour."

"The Zenana work is very interesting now," remarked Mr. Harper.

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A year ago I should have asked in what quarter of the globe Zenana is," said Mr. Green; "but I know now, thanks to Mr. Harper's Talks; I do hope we shall continue them."

"I am sure I have found them very profitable," said Mr. Treddel. "And I am very thankful for the practical results which have grown out of them," was the Vicar's remark. "I shall be happy to give you the Annual Report to lend among yourselves. The Church Missionary Atlas you have; it is full of information. Then if each was to buy a book during the year, and after having read it, lend it to each in turn, this would keep you up in all Church Missionary matters."

"I am very thankful that we have a Mr. Harper among us. It is not every congregation that possesses such a kind helper," said Mr. Welton. But why not? A kind heart and a ready hand, this was all Mr. Harper had. Many may do his work. Christian gentlemen know not what a field of real happy, holy work is near them, if they will enter in. It is not necessary to wait for numbers. Give the mind to the work, and numbers will grow with interest. Will you look around you, and see what can be done? Do not leave all work for your clergyman. Work with him, and under his guidance and sanction, and the work will go on. There is no work which supplies such an abundance of material for creating and keeping up interest as missionary work. All the world contributes to our store. All the Scriptures give their gracious instructions, their rich promises, and hopes, and holy examples. The primeval covenant speaks of "all nations," and it is the germ of all revelations. Read the Bible with a missionary eye, and the starry host of promises and predictions which glisten everywhere in the dark sky of its human history tell of Christ, the Bright and Morning Star, the coming Seed in whom "all nations shall be blessed."

And so they knelt, and parted. And so we leave the happy, useful company to encourage one another in the best and holiest duties, till they are called one by one to be with Jesus, or till the shadows which are fallen on the world flee away before the sunrise of His appearing.

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