she must give up her collectorship. She says the captain has convinced her that missionary collections are really quite as worldly things in their way as balls and parties; and he says he feels that as a Christian man, he cannot continue to help that which is so tainted with a wrong spirit."

"I see how it is. It is not an isolated case. These samples are becoming very rife, and in many instances have drawn off most valuable workers both from home and foreign missions."

"Then what shall we do?" sighed Mrs. Weston, who, like many habitually bright and sanguine persons, was liable, if once fairly disheartened, to sink proportionably low. "If one half of our helpers fall off from caprice or half-heartedness and the other from morbid scruples, whom shall we have left ?"

"You judge like the two executioners in Holland in the Duke of Alva's time, who agreed that if one was to put the bad subjects to death as criminals, and the other the good as heretics, the country would be depopulated! Well, I don't think it will go as far this time. But we must not let Austin and Mrs. Benson go without an effort. I will try and see both myself."

A day or two afterwards we were returning from a walk to an outlying hamlet where Mr. Weston held an occasional cottage lecture, when we met the very persons we had been speaking of, and also our friend Mr. Heathfield, the banker, who acted as our treasurer, who broached the subject as soon as he came up to us.

"Here, Weston," he said, ". you will be able to argue the matter better than I can, and I leave it to you. I want to persuade our good friend here to reconsider his decision of 'leaving us in the lurch.' He has been such an efficient helper that we can ill spare him."

"I hope never to give up helping Mission work in one way or another," replied Captain Austin; "the cause is one I have truly at heart; but I do not think the usual machinery of missionary societies is carried on in a spirit worthy of Christians, and now I am convinced I ought to leave."

"Will you tell me in what way we are going wrong, my good friend?" said Mr. Weston. "I am always grateful for the rebukes and warnings of a Christian adviser; and if you can show me that our Missionary Auxiliary is carried on in a wrong and worldly spirit, I shall be only too happy to try and remedy the evil to the best of my power."

"Indeed, Mr. Weston, I can say nothing against the spirit in which you and Mrs. Weston and some like you are labouring. The fault I find is not with this individual association, but the general machinery of missionary and charitable societies in our day is not carried on in the simple, unworldly spirit of the New Testament."

"Will you kindly explain a little further ?" asked Mr. Weston, calmly. Willingly. In the first place, look at the crowded meetings, the show, and luxury, and fashion we see. Are not some of these great gatherings almost as full of the 'pomp and vanity of the world' as a merely fashionable entertainment could be?"

"I am afraid it is too true. But how are we to help this? We cannot read hearts. As soon as any association, religious or otherwise, becomes large, we shall have the worldly element creeping in. So early as the apostle James's time they had men with gold rings and sumptuous apparel taking the best places in their assemblies. St. James reproaches his hearers for 'respecting persons,' but he does not tell them to turn the rich man out of church."

"I think more care might be taken, even so," rejoined Captain Austin, "to discourage such persons from coming; and on the contrary, every pains is often taken to urge Lord This and Lady That to honour a missionary meeting with their presence, as if it were a ball or an exhibition. Then there is that habit of choosing as the principal speakers, as we so often see, those who have no recommendation but that of rank or wealth, or high social position. At the last two country meetings I attended we had the most utterly inane and tedious speeches made by two of the wealthiest men in the neighbourhood; had they been persons of less distinction they would not have been tolerated. They were not even professedly religious men, I believe; one came to please his wife, and another was persuaded by somebody else, and it was thought a great point gained to secure them."

"I do admit these to be abuses," said Mr. Weston, gravely, "and very serious ones. I dislike greatly the habit of canvassing for support of rank and wealth, irrespective of character, and I myself, and many who think with me, would never be a party to such proceedings. They are abuses, but you know the old proverb, 'the abuse of a thing is nothing against its use.""

"But we are told," said Captain Austin, "to keep ourselves pure, and to touch not the unclean thing.'

"True; but what is 'touching the unclean thing?' If the work of the Society itself were carried on in a wrong manner, if I had any reason even to doubt that its objects were attained in a right and Christian spirit, I should be bound to avoid all connection with it; but while I am firmly convinced that the work is a good one, and done in an irreproachable manner, should I be right in refusing to help it because others who are also helping may do so in a wrong way? The main stream is pure, and if some of the lesser channels may have mud and

mire in them, is not that the case in every thing in this world? As long as the earth contains weak and erring men, so long must such mixtures be inevitable."

"But would not Christian men be serving their Master's cause better by avoiding everything that has such a mixture ?"

"To do that one must imitate the ancient hermits and retire from all outward activity. They could thus keep clear of all mixture except what was in themselves; but short of this, how can contact with men of mixed conduct and motives be avoided? We cannot go to the most carefully guarded place of worship without the risk, nay, the certainty, of meeting worshippers who are not all pure. We cannot give alms without working hand in hand with those who give like the Pharisees of old, 'to be seen of men.' Our Lord knew, what we can only guess, that many of those chief men among the Jews gave from no true or pure motive, and yet, would He have been pleased with the poor widow if she had withheld her mite because others gave from ostentation and vanity ?" "No, certainly," interposed Mrs. Benson; "but I think what Captain Austin means is the way in which most missionary and charitable association work is published abroad with the sound of a trumpet, as it were-lists of the committee, the secretaries, treasurers, and so on, blazoned abroad and made like a regular business concern. I own it has long been a stumbling block to me."

Any unnecessary want of simplicity in making known our work and its objects, any needless expense spent on mere machinery," said Mr. Weston, we must all agree in deprecating. But let us look closer at the whole matter, dear friends. You allow that the command to go and make known the Gospel to all nations is plain and universal. Well, it is equally plain that the majority of Christians cannot go out and preach to the heathen themselves."

66

Many might, who do not," put in Captain Austin.

"Granted. But with the fullest allowance for this, we all know that vast numbers cannot. Out of these numbers there may be some very few who could, if they would, support some good work entirely themselves; but you will allow that though some might who do not, still all such must form a very small minority. Most can give a little, but only a little. Now, is it right that they should be deprived of the happy privilege of helping to send the Gospel to foreign lands (and the same may be said of Home Missions), because they cannot send each his shilling or sixpence to the place that needs it?"

"Of course," said Captain Austin, "no one would dispute that it is necessary to have some one to receive and forward the contributions of the others."

Exactly. And then, as many of these givers may not know to whom, or how, they can send their money, there must be some means of letting them know; some one to go round and visit them, or send them notices and papers to explain what they should do."

"Certainly," said Mrs. Benson; "no one doubts that." "Well, there you have a treasurer and a secretary," rejoined Mr. Weston. 66 Then, if these persons are collecting and receiving, not in one small place or even one town, but in a wide district, or all over the country, to print their names instead of writing a number of letters is simply a saving of time and expense. Then again, the person who receives the money may not choose to take the responsibility on himself alone, of deciding where and how the money is to be sent. Those who give may not all know him well enough to have confidence in him, and he himself may not be well qualified to decide, however honest and trustworthy in his intentions. Does he not do wisely in joining some friends who may have better means of judging in such matters than he has, and agreeing with them to meet together to deliberate, with prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, on the best and wisest way of disposing of the money entrusted to them?"

To be sure, that seems quite reasonable," said Mrs. Benson. "I think it is," said Mr. Weston; "but then you see you have a printed report and a committee at once, and this was part of the very machinery you objected to."

"Well, the way you put it, it certainly does look very different," said the lady; "but you see, in these great societies, all this is done with such publicity and show!"

"It seems to me," replied Mr. Weston, "that the difference you dwell on is chiefly that which must exist between a work on a large and one on a small scale. The Church Missionary Society began, we all know, with a little band of Christian men assembled in a private room. The collections and arrangements, while their numbers were so small, must have been managed almost as simply as in a family gathering. But this could not last. God prospered the work: contributions poured in, new doors were opened for the Gospel, fresh calls for help and fresh helpers raised up; and the little streamlet became a mighty river. To expect the work to be carried on as simply as it was in the beginning, is to expect the broad river to flow through the channel which was sufficient for the narrow brook."

[We are sorry to break these conversations off in the middle, but our space will not admit of the whole appearing at once.-ED.]

THE CAMPHOR TREE.

A PARABLE.

[The Camphor Tree (Laurus Camphora) is a magnificent evergreen growing to an immense height in Japan. To obtain the camphor the tree is cut down and divided into pieces, and the perfume, which is found in small whitish crystalline flakes in and near the centre of the tree, taken out. Japan is called by the natives the Fountain or Dawn of the day.]

DWELT on an ancient mountain,

In an orient land far away,
Where light leaps up from its fountain,
And falls to the earth in the day.

I was fed from the clouds above,
And I drank of the brook below;
The glory and crown of the grove-
No fairer could Lebanon show.

But they laid my fair glory low,

My boughs of unwithering green;

A sweet shade in the noontide glow

For man and for beast had they been.

Not one among all my fellows

Stood up to deliver me then ; No shield from stroke of the billows, Nor help from the children of men. Nay, they stripped me with ruthless steel, And cleft my poor heart in twain; Shall the axe for the forest feel,

Or the woodman weep for its pain? Then first were rich odours revealed, That flowed from my bleeding core, And fountains of fragrance unsealedNe'er known was such fragrance before. Now wide has my glory been spread,

And broader my branches are grown; Far off has my fragrance been shed; The nations my sweetness have known. "Twas Jesus, the Plant of Renown,

That came from His home in the sky, The Ancient of Days from His throne, For sinners to suffer and die.

Oh! Saviour, forsaken and slain,

Thou pourest Thy perfume abroad; What healing flows forth from thy pain! Thy wounds are the way to our God.

GEORGE ENSOR.

THE TRIDENT, the CRESCENT, AND THE CROSS. Gleanings from Vaughan's Religious History of India.

IV. THE BRAHMINS.

OU may see any day in North India the following strange sight. A poor, half-starved man, walking along the street, meets another man, portly, well dressed, respectable. The well-to-do man, with an air of abject reverence, takes off his turban, throws himself on his face, and puts his forehead in the dust. The poor man approaches the prostrate figure, and put his foot upon the bowed head, in token of his blessing. Presently another well-to-do man with eagerness brings a dish of water that the poor man may dip his bare foot in it, and then devoutly drinks the water. This is caste. The two well-to-do men happen to be Sudras; the poor man happens to be a Brahmin ; and the Sudras regard the Brahmin as divine.

How came this monstrous system into India? There is nothing at all like it anywhere else. We sometimes use the word "caste" in describing the feelings and habits of particular classes in society. But in India caste is no mere social

distinction, but a religious system of enormous power.

The

word itself, says Mr. Vaughan, seems to be the Portuguese casta, race." The ancient name of the system, in Sanscrit, the sacred language of the Hindus, was varna, "colour," doubtless referring to variety of complexion, for, as a rule, the higher the caste the fairer the skin. But this word was superseded by jati, 66 'birth."

We have before observed that the original Aryan settlers had no caste divisions, and at first they had hardly any classes. But gradually the priests, the soldiers, the cultivators (including artificers and traders), and the servile class became four distinct orders-viz., Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras, representing the four wants of a community-(1) instruction, (2) protection, (3) support, (4) service, and said to be descended from the mouth of Brahma, his arm, his thigh, and his foot.

The system was, no doubt, set on foot by the priests to secure their sacerdotal power; and, by dividing those who were not priests into classes, they gave each class an interest in the arrangement, the Kshatriyas, for instance, being content to pay homage to the Brahmins so long as the Vaisyas paid due respect to them. As for the Sudras, who were at the bottom of the scale, they were probably a conquered race that had submitted to the invaders, and so it was privilege enough for them to be recognised as an order or caste at all, which gave them some advantages over the low out-caste portion of the old possessors of the land.

But these four castes, though usually given in books as the divisions of Hindu society, do not at all represent it at the present day. Men could not and would not be bound by such iron rules; the Kshatriyas and Vaisyas almost ceased to exist as separate orders,* and got mixed up with each other and with the Sudras; while, on the other hand, trades and occupations multiplied, and each, in course of ages, became a distinct caste by itself. The Sudras are still a numerous body, and are subdivided into minor castes; but, while they count as a low caste in North India, in South India they are a high caste, ranking next to the Brahmins, and only second to them in exclusiveness. The Native government of Travancore took, two or three years The whole ago, a census of the population of that little State. number is only two-thirds that of Scotland; and in the Hindu portion (about three-fourths of the whole) there are no less than 420 separate castes, seventy-five of which can be broadly distinguished from one another!

But amid all these changes, the Brahmin has remained unchangeable. "All live for him, and he governs all." "Let a man, according to his ability, give wealth to Brahmins, who know the Vedas and keep apart from the world; by so doing he obtains heaven when he dies." "All that exists in the universe is the Brahmin's property." So says the ancient law-giver Manu. Terrible penalties are denounced against any one who hurts a absorbs in the soil, so many thousands of years must the shedder Brahmin. "As many particles of dust as the blood of a Brahmin of that blood abide in hell." By innumerable restrictions and rules is the dignity of the sacred caste fenced round. To give but one instance: a Brahmin would lose his caste position for ever if his food were cooked by a low caste man; and, to guard against the possibility of defilement, if while the cooking is going on, the hem of such a man's garment touch the vessel, or even his shadow fall on the food, the viands are thrown away, and the vessel (if of earthenware) broken.

It is a selfish and cruel system. Caste, indeed, observes Mr. Vaughan, "has not destroyed the power to feel and to love," but it has confined that feeling and that love within the narrowest

*The Rajpûts, a group of whom are represented on the next page, are regarded as the representatives of the Kshatriya caste.

The late Rev. Ainala Bhushanam, of Masulipatam, was a Vellama, a high Sudra caste, and his conversion, in 1852, caused as much excitement as that of his friend, the Rev, Manchala Ratnam, who was a Brahmin.

limits. A Hindu is tender in his family relations, he is kindly towards his fellows of the same caste; but for all beyond he cares nothing at all. "On the great pilgrim routes of India," Mr. Vaughan says, "we have seen poor creatures, smitten with disease, lying on the road-side, passed by hundreds of their coreligionists with no more concern than as if they were dying dogs. We have seen the poor parched sufferers, with folded hands and pleading voice, crave a drop of water to moisten their lips, but all in vain. Either the dying man is known to be of low caste, or his caste is unknown; to approach him, to touch him, might result in pollution; hence he is left to his fate."

It is, too, a demoralising system. "A Brahmin may be known to be a monster of wickedness-a thief, liar, adulterer, murderer, but his sanctity as a Brahmin remains unaffected by these crimes; he will still be worshipped by his disciples, and still will they drink the water of his feet as a holy thing; but let that Brahmin, even by accident, eat forbidden food or touch an unlawful object, and the curse of uncleanness at once falls upon him." Further,

he may believe what he likes in religion, or, like many educated Hindus now, believe nothing at all; but so long as his caste is not broken, he is as sacred as ever. He may even say, "I believe in Christ," without forfeiting his rights; but let the water of baptism touch him, and "from that moment to his death he is regarded as a fallen and degraded wretch, and the very abjects who before worshipped him in his crimes will, now that he has repented, shrink from contact with him in horror."

One great Hindu doctrine has largely helped to maintain this system-the doctrine of transmigration, the passing of the soul from body to body (human or animal) in successive earthly lives. While no merit and no wealth can convert a Sudra into a Brahmin, he may, says the priestly teaching, become one at a future birth, provided he leads a righteous life now-that is, a life of devotion and liberality to the Brahmins. On the other hand, a Brahmin may at a future birth become a Sudra, if he has been careless in keeping his caste in this life; let him, therefore, beware! Thus everything, in teaching and in practice,

THE ROCK OLUMO, AT ABEOKUTA.

IN our chapter this month of Bishop Crowther's life (page 47), allusion is made to the great rock in the centre of Abeokuta. We take this opportunity of presenting a picture of it, engraved from a photograph and a sketch kindly sent us by the Rev. H. Townsend. The late Dr. Irving, R.N., who visited the place in 1852, writes as follows:

Aké and Olumo are the two principal heights of the city. The latter rises in the north-west of the town, to the height of about 200 feet, and is composed of one immense rounded mass of grey porphyritic granite, smooth

and exposed, except

ing where coarse grass and trees have taken root in the crevices and hollows. Surmounting the rest is a huge oblong rock, perfectly detached, and resting on a base narrower than the rest, resembling in some respects our own rocking stones. Around and under the sides of this a person may walk. Standing under this rock, and looking down below, the view was exceedingly imposing: the immense plain covered with houses, the swarms of people everywhere, in the narrow thoroughfares, in the wide open spaces shaded by fig-trees, in the markets, in the centre courts of the dwellings, the river Ogun skirting the city close to the walls, the undulating and cultivated country beyond.

THREE SCENES ON THE NIGER.

UR interest in East and Central Africa must not make us lose sight of West Africa; and no Mission in any part of the world can show more interesting scenes than those which we now present, gleaned from the narrative written by our esteemed Native brother, the Rev. Henry (now Archdeacon) Johnson, of his recent journey up the Niger, in company with Bishop Crowther. Our readers will find in the GLEANER, of July last year, a map of the river and a general account of the work, to which we would refer them. But we may just say with regard to the three following scenes, that Brass is in the delta of the Niger, the Brass River being one of the mouths; Osamare, about 120 miles from the sea; and Bida, the capital of Nupe, and residence of King Umoru, nearly 400 miles from the sea.

1. Christian Chiefs at Brass.

In the year 1867 Bishop Crowther met with King Ockiya at the Nun. The king hailed the "God man," and begged of him to come to his country to establish schools, and do for his people what was being done for Bonny. "Assuredly gathering that the Lord was calling him " to work in Brass, the Bishop hastened to that place, and the following year saw the work actually begun. The Lord greatly assisted His servants, so that in less than three years the work had assumed such a decidedly aggressive attitude as to alarm the Juju priests, and make them tremble for their own reputation and their future means of subsistence.

About this time a chief was won over to the cause, and also several young men from the influential families in the country; and when the priests saw that the interests of the gods were being neglected, they felt that the strange religion should be at once crushed. Small-pox having broken out in the year 1871, the cause was traced to the introduction of the new religion into the country, and so a violent persecution was set on foot at the instance of the crafty priests. The lives of the converts were exposed to the utmost danger. The chief above alluded to was obliged to run away stealthily from Brass town, leaving his family and property behind him, when he was apprised that a council had been held to murder him. One of the converts was tied so cruelly that the cord made a deep indent into his flesh. In this manner he was dragged to the place of sacrifice, and frightened with a drawn sword; but his faith stood firm and unshaken, and his persecutors were foiled in their purpose to induce recantation. Powerless to stem the torrent of popular passions, the king could afford no protection to those whom he himself had invited to the country; but, thank God! he would not encourage the persecuting zeal of his subjects.

At length the fiery storm blew over, but only to revive in a fitful blaze in 1874. However, its force was spent, and it soon died out, and in all human probability will never be revived again.

Now, what is the result of nine years of unremitting labour at Brass? The church has been enlarged once. On Sunday, November 4th, there were no less than 480 persons present at the morning service (including six Europeans), and in the evening, notwithstanding a drenching shower, there were as many as 226. The next day being the first Monday in the month, the usual prayer meeting was held, when the church was nearly half filled. I had thought that being held at a busy time of the day, (10.30 A.M.), the attendance at the prayer meeting would have been small; but I was agreeably surprised to see a great many men and women present. The king and some of his chiefs residing at the village of Tuwon were present at both the services and the meeting. It was most edifying to see them listening to the Gospel of our salvation. The next day (November 6th) saw the church once more filled. A confirmation service was held, and the Bishop administered the holy rite to fifty-eight persons.

Those three days-Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday-were among the happiest I spent in my trip to the Niger Mission. In no other place did I observe such a striking exhibition of the mighty power of the Gospel. More good news. King Ockiya has now asked for a teacher for Nembe,

his capital, which is about thirty miles from the coast. Thus the work is gradually extending, under the auspices of the king himself and the influential men of the country. The influence of the heathen priests has collapsed ignominiously. To show with what contempt the gods are now treated, it will suffice to say that wood is cut and carried away from the sacred grove, at which formerly the people would not venture even to look, on account of its reputed sanctity.

Social customs which offend against decency and morality are being abolished by the natives, of their own accord. Besides, they are advancing as rapidly in material prosperity as in their knowledge of Divine things. On Saturday, the 3rd November, we, that is the Bishop, Rev. Thomas Johnson, and myself, visited the village of Tuwon, about a mile distant from the mission compound. I could scarcely believe what my eyes saw in the house of one of the chiefs, Samuel Sambo. Very few houses are better furnished either at Sierra Leone or Lagos. The most cultivated taste will admit the house to be a splendid one. Much money has been laid out in pictures, time-pieces, carpets, and every luxury that may be considered indispensable in the residence of a rich civilised gentleman. He has 300 dependents, and through them is accumulating a great amount of substantial wealth. We were taken to every apartment in the house; but there was one room, simply furnished, which gave me the most interest. There was a table, and a great number of forms. That was no other than the prayer room, where, morning and evening, the good chief assembles his vast household for their devotions. Nine short years ago this man was full of the superstition which reigned in the country. I will not venture to say that, being of a tribe that practised cannibalism, he has never tasted human flesh. Nine years ago he venerated Juju superstition as devoutly as did his meanest slave; but now he is another man-a Christian-and is emulating the practices of his brethren in Christ throughout the world. Once, and that not long ago, he was ignorant of the saving truths of Christianity, and was as poor in worldly goods as in his spiritual health; but now his outward and inward conditions have altered most materially. Verily, the Lord hath done great things, whereof we rejoice.

The prosperity of this station is not of a superficial or ephemeral character; there is substance in it, and such as, with God's blessing, will continually expand and become wide-spread. My heart has again and again ascended to heaven in gratitude to God for the glorious results which have followed the establishment of the station of Brass.

2. A Native Missionary's Influence at Osamare. The Rev. Mr. During is exerting a great influence among the people of Osamare. Human sacrifices used to be most frequent; but they are now kept within bounds, and I believe will before very long become a thing of the past. As soon as he heard an inkling of such a thing going on, Mr. During would go to the place of sacrifice and plead until he prevailed to rescue the devoted person. I saw one who was thus snatched from the jaws of death-a poor emaciated creature. The sacrificing of old women was once a very common practice. The number of those rescued by Mr. During, at various times, exceeds ten; and from the circumstance of his interesting himself so much on their behalf, he has been nicknamed "The life of old women."

He has also distinguished himself as a mediator between hostile parties. On one occasion civil war was about to take place. Guns were loaded, swords were whetted, and war drums were sounding furiously, when Mr. During hurried to the scene. The manner in which he succeeded in preventing the war taking place is well worth the consideration of-I was going to say ambassadors, diplomatists, and foreign secretaries. He went to the spot, where preparations were all but completed, and having a large handbell concealed beneath his coat, he pulled it out and began to ring it violently, walking about the crowd and pushing away here and there those who seemed particularly excited and determined. He kept shouting, with laconic brevity-"Don't fight: don't fight: make peace war ruins country war brings misery: disperse: go home." He continued ringing like an auctioneer's man, till his arm ached, and he shouted himself hoarse. He was rewarded for his pains, for the people dispersed without firing a single shot.

3. Reception of Bishop Crowther and Mr. Johnson by a Mohammedan Sultan.

Bida, the present capital of the Nupe Country, and residence of the King Umoru, was the utmost limit of our northward journey.

Mr. J. Crowther, second son of the Bishop, and Agent-General of the West African Company (Limited), very kindly allowed us a passage from Egan in his steam launch to Wunangi, where we disembarked, and took the land journey to Bida

We rode straight on to the king's, accompanied by the Ndeji (lit. father of the country)—an officer that may be regarded as Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor rolled into one We found the king sitting among his chiefs, captains, and people of distinction, anxiously awaiting our arrival. The welcome he gave to the Bishop and his son, with whom he had been long acquainted, was extremely hearty. Short of embracing