CHRISTIAN CHILDREN IN INDIA. [WE have lately received a letter from a dear friend and christian brother, the Rev. Isaac Stubbins, Missionary in Orissa, East Indies, parts of which we extract, by which our young friends will, we hope, be pleased to find that children in that heathen land are learning to love the Saviour, dying in peace and hope, and passing away to join the holy and happy in the bright world of glory above. The Missionary, they will also find, wishes all children in this favoured land, would learn a lesson from what he now tells them; for he seems to fear that some of them do not love the Saviour as they should.] MY DEAR BROTHER,-I just fancy I see you now at your editorial desk, looking over your papers and letters, for your interesting publications. A sweet and pious girl, about fifteen years of age, has this morning taken her flight from sister Buckley's school to a brighter and better world. She is the third out of four children of Roman Catholic parents, who has ascended, as we have every reason to believe, to a world of glory from our schools. Their mother died some years ago, and their father is a drunken dissolute vagabond. I took the children, at least the three who are dead, shortly after their mother died; they were then wretched and miserable. After some time the youngest died of cholera, but not before she had fully given her heart to Christ. O it was cheering to hear her pouring out her infant soul to Jesus in prayer! She was not more than about seven years of age when she died. Her amiable and consistent conduct often delighted us much, and we beheld in her no ordinary bud of future promise; but she blossomed soon, and was early removed to a more congenial soil. She beheld, with a heavenly smile, her weeping school-fellows, who, without exception, loved her much, and said, "O dont weep for me, I'm going home-I'm going to my Father-I'm going to heaven! Dont weep for me, but sing hallelujah—dont weep for me, but sing hallelujah!" And then with a peaceful smile on her cheeks she fell asleep in Jesus. Her death appeared to produce impression on the minds of many of her young associates. Thus we see the young as well as the old can die rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. The next to be taken away was her brother. He was early removed to Cuttack. For some time he seemed to care about anything rather than religion, but at length his eyes were opened to see himself a sinner before God, but when he saw his danger he saw also his remedy in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He did not delay to give himself to the Saviour; but while he was about being received as a candidate for baptism, Senjiman, for that was his name, opened his eyes in eternal glory, to behold his little sister who had gone before, and that blessed Jesus who had saved them both. Now we have been called to take our leave of the third. She has for some time been lingering in a consumption, but during the whole of her affliction has been peaceful and serene, without the slightest fear of death; confident that to die was gain. She has been a very consistent member of the church now about fifteen months. What an interview would be that, of these lovely young disciples before the throne of their Redeemer! Should you think well to give any of this little account to your young readers, I cannot but pray that it may lead some of them to seek to die as these three died, trusting in the same Saviour for salvation. It is surely a blessed evidence of the truth of our religion that it produces the same effect in every country, and among every class of people. It takes away the fear of death, and enables the soul with composure to enter on the solemn realities of eternity. Events like those alluded to, may well encourage our friends, young and old, in their efforts for the support of the cause of Christ in this land. Their labour is not, and shall not be in vain in the Lord. We This has been a busy cold season with us. have travelled, altogether, not much less than 400 miles, and made known the words of eternal life in 173 different places. Sometimes scores, sometimes hundreds, and at times thousands have heard, in their own tongue, the wonders of redeeming love; but what may be the effect remains yet to be seen. This we know-God's truth cannot be proclaimed in vainsooner or later the good seed of the kingdom must take root. SPREAD THE GOSPEL. LET the Indian, let the Negro, Let the rude barbarian see, Once obtain'd on Calvary; Let redemption Echo all the world around! Heavenly dove! stretch forth thy pinions, Give to all the nations peace! Jesus, may thy wide dominions WE remember the story of a cruel master who, without a cause, had determined to sever a slave mother and her only child. She had been faithful under the very worst usage, and she determined to remain so, until he told her that on the morrow her child must be borne to New Orleans, to be sold there in the slave mart. It was mid-winter, the earth was frosted with a hard crust, yet at midnight she started for the Ohio, determined, if she could, to live and die with her child. She reached its banks as the pursuers rose on the hill beyond—no boat was near-masses of rotten ice floated sluggishly along-death was ahead. Trusting to Heaven she put her feet on the treacherous element, and with it bending and breaking beneath her, (spectators on either side expecting to see her and her child sink at every moment,) she boldly pushed on from cake to cake, until she landed safe on the Ohio shore. Five minutes sooner, and she must have perished-two minutes later, and she would have met with a watery grave-for before she had proceeded twenty steps the ice behind her, close on the Kentucky side, had broken, and was scattered ere she reached the mid river. "Thank God, you and your child are safe," exclaimed the hard-hearted master, as he saw her land, rejoicing that he had escaped the responsibility of their death. "Brave woman," said a Kentuckian who had witnessed her escape and met her at the landing, "you have won your freedom and shall have it." The mother and the child were kept together, and liberty is now their lot in their humble but happy home. Was there not true heroism here, and is not the scene worthy the sweetest song of poetry or the holiest praise of man ?True American. Such is the tale as told by this American paper. And we would ask, What kind of beings are the men who keep their fellow-creatures "Framed with like miracle, the work of God”— as themselves, and among whom such noble traits of moral courage are found, in hopeless captivity and bondage? THE LITTLE BLACKAMOOR. WHEN I was a small boy there was a black boy in the neighbourhood, known by the name of " Jim Dick." Myself and a number of my play-fellows were one evening collected together at our usual sports, and begun tormenting the poor coloured boy by calling him 66 blackamoor," "nigger," and other degrading names; the poor fellow appeared excessively grieved at our conduct, and soon left us. We soon after made an appointment to go a skating in the neighbourhood, and on the day of appointment I had the misfortune to break my skates and could not go without borrowing a pair of Jim Dick. I went to him and asked him for them. O yes, John, you may have them and welcome,' was his answer. When I went to return them I found Jim sitting by the fire in the kitchen reading the Bible. I told him I had returned his skates, and was under great obligations to him for his kindness. He looked at me as he took the skates, and with tears in his eyes said to me "John, don't never call me blackamoor again," and immediately left the room. These words pierced my heart, and I burst into tears, and from that resolved not to abuse a poor black in future.-Southey. THE LAST SUMMONS. MORTAL! thy life is passed away, Come, hasten to eternal day, Or, unto night for ever! CLARICE. |