nearly as much as that of people at home who are always crying out for interesting stories, and will not be satisfied without them."

"Yes," said Mrs. Weston, "like our collectors for the orphans. And you know, Henry, Mr. and Mrs. T, who have that large orphanage, and are so extremely cautious about speaking of conversions, get far less help than some others who don't accomplish half their work."

"That is the real mischief," said Mr. Weston. "Friends at home do not know how they tempt mission-workers to exaggerate by their constant complaints if they are not supplied with new stories as regularly as a set of children."

"And that it is that disgusts me," said Captain Austin. "The whole business has such a mixed character. One set of people calling out for stories and exciting accounts, and going to a missionary meeting as others go to the theatre, just for a new sensation. Then, on the other hand, great people patronising the movement as if they thought they were conferring a favour in condescending to be interested in making known the blessed Gospel to others. If you call that Christian work, Mr. Weston, I don't."

"I do not call that Christian work, my dear friend. All I say is, that this world being one full of sin and imperfection, and the wheat and tares mixed-as they must be while this world lasts-we must not be surprised to find ugly weeds disfiguring even the garden of the Lord. But I think that both you and others make the common mistake of taking for granted that the most numerous and important class of persons are those who make the most noise. Archbishop Whately has remarked that if we went into a field and heard the grasshoppers loudly chirping, we might fancy them its principal inhabitants, and overlook, at first, the cattle quietly grazing in the same spot. And so it is with missionary societies. Our attention is caught by the bustle and display of worldly supporters, and the injudicious efforts of unwise friends to help the cause; but the real strength of the work rests on the hundreds of quiet, unassuming collectors of small sums, who go on with their humble labours year after year without any taking count of them. The Sunday-school children with their missionary-boxes, and the cards with the laboriously gathered shillings and sixpences-these are the real main support of our great societies. These obscure workers are hardly known out of their own circle, and their patient efforts perhaps unnoticed except by the Master whose 'well done' will one day be their exceeding great reward."

We were interrupted by being joined by some other friends, and the conversation was not resumed. I do not know whether Captain Austin was fully convinced; people seldom are, at once, and he was very soon after obliged to accompany an invalid brother abroad. But we do not despair of his joining us again some day. Certainly Mrs. Benson was won round, and not long after resumed her collecting labours. Meanwhile, new friends have been raised up; Mrs. Curwen remained a steady and efficient supporter; Miss Jenkins returned from the sea-side with a collection sufficient for the support of another orphan; and Mrs. Weston has re-organised her Rectory working-party, which bids fair to hold its ground. Another box is in preparation; the one which had for a time appeared to fail, sold well on the return of the lady who was the regular superintendent, and the workers are resuming their labours with fresh spirit. Above all, they are learning, I trust, to be less dependent on exciting stories and stirring letters, and more really convinced of the importance and the privilege of missionary work; and on the whole our friends are able to look on the Southbridge Auxiliary as an established institution, and we hope that many others like it may soon be added to the list of helpers of the Mission cause.

MR. SATTHIANADHAN'S EXETER HALL SPEECH. [At the C.M.S. Anniversary Meeting on April 30th, the Rev. W. T. Satthianadhan, whose portrait we gave in the April GLEANER, spoke as follows:-]

WILL begin with the history of a Hindu convert. At the age of fourteen this person was sent to an Indian school in connection with this great Society. One of the books used in that school was of course the Bible. This school was conducted by a blind teacher, and the Bible was taught regularly every day; but the youth was so bitter against the study of the Bible that one day he instigated the other scholars to request the teacher to give up the Bible, accompanying this with a threat that if the request was not complied with they would all leave the school. But the teacher was not moved by such a threat. "You may all leave the school," he said, "but give up the Bible I never will." The youth was therefore obliged to continue the study of the Bible against his will. He continued there for two years. In the meantime the teacher paid particular attention to the inculcation of Scripture truths, and applied them to the hearts and consciences of his students in such a way that they were much impressed by them. Under the instruction of this admirable teacher the youth remained another

three years, and then there began gradually to dawn upon his mind not only the folly of heathenism, but the truth of Christianity, and the necessity of closing with the offers of salvation through Jesus Christ. He went through a great mental struggle; he was not prepared to give up his parents and his home, but the Spirit of God worked mightily in his heart. The young man was at length enabled by God's grace to give up his home and everything he felt dear, and to betake himself to the foot of the cross, where he found rest for his weary soul. His conversion made a sensation in the district, and emptied the school. He himself became an object of persecution, and was dragged before two magistrates, European and Native; but the Lord helped him throughout all his troubles, and he is now a herald of the cross to his countrymen; and, by a strange providence, is now privileged to address this audience. (Great cheering.) Bless the Lord, O my soul! (Renewed cheering.) From the very first I would say with devout thankfulness, the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. The blind teacher I have referred to was William Cruikshanks, a man highly honoured of God, who left his mark on the country, and on the district of Tinnevelly in particular. Through his instrumentality, twenty other Hindus belonging to very respectable families were brought to the knowledge of Christ. I was admitted as a student of the institution under Bishop Sargent, who had the training of many young men, some of whom are now ministers of the Gospel. After two years' course of study there, I was appointed to North Tinnevelly. It was there that I first saw an English ladyMrs. William Gray-living in a tent and going about the villages teaching the Gospel. After five years' work at Tinnevelly, I was transferred to the station at Madras, where I have been labouring for the last fifteen years.

Mr. Satthianadhan then gave some account of missionary work at Madras, and continued :-]

I wish to say something about my wife's work. Her work lies among the respectable females, both young and old, in the city of Madras. . . . She is the only daughter of the Rev. John Devasagayam (cheers), an agent of the Church Missionary Society, and though I am myself a convert from heathenism my wife belongs to a fourth generation of Hindu Christians, her great grandfather being a convert from Hinduism; and she herself now occupies the honoured position of a grandmother. (Applause and laughter.) And though I am the paid agent of one Society, namely, the Church Missionary Society, she is the honorary agent of three, viz., the Church Missionary Society, the Indian Female Instruction Society, and the Society for Promoting Female Education in the East. (Cheers.) She has six schools in four different suburbs of Madras, four of respectable Hindu girls, and two for the children of the poorer classes. The number of children is about 430. She has also fifty-six Zenana schools in different parts of the city and suburbs, consisting of 106 young ladies belonging to the upper classes of Hindu society, Brahmins included. But in cousequence of the deficit in the income of the Society during the past year the grant to Indian Missions has been reduced considerably, and the grant to my poor wife has been cut down by one-eighth.

I know that England is deeply interested in the welfare of India. A telegram came from Madras to the Mausion House about the terrible famine which swept over the Presidency, and applying for help on behalf of the famishing multitude. In about ten weeks money flowed in from all directions, amounting to no less than half a million sterling. England has acted right nobly; human suffering has been mitigated, human life has in numberless instances been saved by her unbounded liberality, aud Southern India feels very deeply the debt of gratitude she owes to England. But there is another famine which exists in all its horrors not only in the Madras Presidency, but throughout the whole country and throughout the world. In India you will see Hindu temples and Mohammedan mosques raising their proud heads. You will see idols in every city and every village. You will see vast crowds worshipping at the shrine of Vishnu, and prostrating themselves before idols of wood and stone. The country is suffering from this spiritual famine.. It is sometimes said that India is the brightest gem in the British crown. Whatever may be our view on that matter, we must all agree that it is our duty, as Christians, to give ourselves no rest, to spare no pain, till we see India set as the brightest gem in the crown of our Roy 1 Immanuel.

THE CHANDNI-CHOWK AT DELHI.

ELHI was for centuries the capital of India under the Mohammedan rulers; and as Mohammedanism in India is the subject of an article in this number of the GLEANER, we take the opportunity of presenting on the next page a picture of the Chandni-Chowk-the silversmiths' street-at Delhi. It extends in a straight line from the palace (of which we also give a picture at page 70) to the Lahore gate, and the chief shops in the city are found in it, displaying all sorts of precious goods-Cashmere shawls, Punjab armour, delicate caskets, graceful filagree work in gold and silver, &c.

THE LAST DAYS OF SMITH AND O'NEILL.

FTER our last number was printed, a large packet of letters reached England from the shores of the Victoria Nyanza, just in time for some further particulars of the sad death of our two brethren to be read at the Annual Meeting. Some of them had been sent off by Lieut. Smith before he fell; others were from Mr. Wilson, who, having heard of the disaster from one of the survivors of the party, the interpreter Hassani, had crossed the Lake from Uganda to Kagei, to make inquiries. Before leaving Mtesa, he sent off a letter by way of Nile, which has not yet arrived, so that our information is still only fragmentary; and probably we shall never know all the circumstances. But all are known to the Most

from reproach in the matter. It now appears that the Arab trader, Songoro, had played both Lieut. Smith and Lukongeh false; that the quarrel was between Lukongeh and Songoro; that Lukongeh's attack, on the fatal morning, was upon Songoro; that Songoro, wounded by a spear in the forehead, fled to the Mission camp for refuge; that Lukongeh demanded that he be given up to him to be killed; that Lieut. Smith chivalrously refused to surrender him ; that Lukengeh instantly attacked the camp; that Smith's party only numbered six or seven men ; and that these were all killed except one, who was taken prisoner and his life spared. The other two who escaped were of Songoro's party. The letters previously sent off by Lieut. Smith, and those forwarded by

"In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy steps." A plain command, with a most cheering promise attached, consequently I must begin this letter by thanking God for a safe return from a rather perilous journey.

It was noon, on October 15th, when we entered the Simeyu, and pulled along its papyrus-covered banks. Hippopotami, crocodile, and aquatic birds abound, and two fine young geese came into our larder. I

The ibis, crane, goose, and clouds of small white birds, with long wading legs, were to be seen at each bend of the river, standing on the sandy spit jutting out. Here also the crocodile, roused from his sunny nap, slides lizard-like into the water, the green of its coat glistening like jewels in the brilliant sunlight. On landing to pick up some crocodile's eggs, I saw the men suddenly rush to the boat, followed by a crocodile; it was more frightened than the men, and soon plunged beneath the muddy waters.

Mr. Wilson from Kagei, are of peculiarly solemn interest. There is a valuable journal of a voyage of exploration up the rivers and creeks on the southern side of the Lake taken by Lieut. Smith in the Daisy in October. There are pencil and pen-and-ink sketches by both Smith and O'Neill. And the letters dated only two days before the end breathe a bright and hopeful spirit. O'Neill writes from Kagei on Dec. 5th, when he was expecting to leave immediately for Uganda (he was killed on the 7th), "I have made some friends in Ukerewe, and prepared the way for the favourable reception of my successor. My name is wellknown about the south of the Lake, and I earnestly trust the Lord will send forth many labourers for this portion of His great harvest." Smith "expected to see the Lake soon covered with boats"; yet he was by no means unconscious of the perils

I have not been able to determine which are right, those who claim for when seen in a certain position, is that of the horse, its body that of the the hippo horse-like affinity, or those who liken it most to the pig. Its head, pig; its snort is horse-like, but again, it has a grunt very like the pig, and its habits of mud-wallowing would certainly place it in the stye, though possibly its love of a charge might carry it to the stable.

An exploring party reported all further progress to be one of carrying, and as I was sent not to find the source, which the natives agree to be very distant, but to ascertain how far it is navigable, I returned and left the river.

Oct. 19th.-Visited a village temporarily built near the mouth of the Ruwana. Here, in the dry months, a settlement of Warigidi is formed When the floods come they return to their mountain residence. The chief for the purpose of hunting. The village smelt of hippo and dried meats.

was a pleasant-spoken man, but exceedingly rapacious of cloth. The great river Ruwana could not be entered under four doti of cloth and some pretty beads. It was a great river, and its water-sprite would be angry if he took less; besides what would the savage up-country chiefs say, if he let a white man enter without exacting a fit due ?

Now for a guide. Yes! here is one, but first more cloth for his mother, who cannot part with him under half a doti. It is paid. The guide then refuses; he is afraid. Oh, the hooting and jeers of his affectionate mother and the numerous fair! "What! Now we have the cloth, to lose it, because you are afraid! ah! ah! bah!" This is too much for the guide's feelings, and, anger casting out fear, he agrees to go, after having first made some "dowa" (medicine charm) to propitiate the river god. This is soon done; the chief pouring some chocolatecoloured powder into his hands, he rubs them gently together, then putting them to his mouth, blows N., S., and E., the directions he must take.

This done, with apparently a lighter heart, he steps into the boat, and we are off. Half an hour after entering, and whilst comfortably running before a fair wind up stream, we suddenly felt a shock, which half lifted the boat out of the water. It was a hippo, which had charged us, striking the fore part of the boat on the starboard side, staving in three planks. Fortunately, being built in compartments, only the fore compartment filled. On the boat's return to the water, the hippo gently nibbled the upper planking, the teeth-marks extending over three planks, and then returned to his nap. For surely it must have been a nap we disturbed the animal from, and this was his rising stretch and gaping yawn. To the bank and unload, haul up and repair, and this occurring about 3 P.M., stopped further progress for that day. We had fortunately a stock of copper nails and sheet lead in the boat, and soon patched her up. A bright moon and cheerful fire saw us finish by 9 P.M.

I slept in the boat, covered with an awning to avoid the rain, but not thinking of water on the other side. At midnight I rose, feeling a little uncomfortable, and found myself an island. The shake given by the hippo had sprung some planks aft, and water had accordingly come in and completely surrounded me. But they say a midshipman can sleep with his head in a bucket of water, and I suppose, as you rise in rank, so in body, until all gets into the bucket. So baling out, I slept on till 4.

This was the fifth day (Oct. 20th), and where we should spend the morrow who could say ? I could not disguise from myself the hazardous duty we were on, since, without a guide, we had none to speak or make known our mission to the natives, any one of whom so disposed could, with perfect safety to himself in such a narrow wooded stream (in some places only 20 ft. wide), pour his poisoned missiles into us unseen. Nothing but believing in our good cause, and our more than good Guide, would warrant us in risking the lives of my boat's crew, and my own. This I say, that you may assure yourself that I am in full accordance with the prayer, "not to run into any kind of danger." So be not anxious on this account. No desire for personal vain-glory, no earthly ambition shall ever tempt me to risk another's life, or my own. I hold life too sacred, knowing that the wealth of the whole world could not purchase one poor African soul.

Descending the river we reached its entrance about 4 P.M., and taking advantage of a favouring thunderstorm, were driven by the fierce squall rapidly westward. But the phase of nature's passion, like man's, gives place to more gentle conduct afterwards, and a full moon looked down upon us slowly heaving upon the windless bosom of the gulf.

The next day, Sunday, was a day of rest: nature lulled her usual stiff south-easter to a zephyr, and the north-west wind of the afternoon set in early and light. What an opportunity to preach the glorious Gospel of Christ! I longed to know enough to make myself intelligible to the crew. I read to them sometimes the Gospel of St. John, and try to impress them with its great lesson of love; but love is an abstract quality to our poor African. He has the word "like" in his language, but "love," such as the Bible reveals, is only to be dimly inferred. So of course with us, but then we have the step between that leads us to contemplate, in some measure, Divine love—we have domestic love—a love, I believe, almost unknown to savages. Oh, the need, then, of spreading the Gospel, which is essentially a Gospel of Love. It was ushered in with peace on earth and goodwill toward men, and when Jesus had written it in His own blood, He added, further, eternal life to all who simply believe upon His Name-Jesus, Saviour.

A naval officer could not forget such a famous date in naval annals (Oct. 21st) as that Sunday was. "The anniversary of Trafalgar," he notes in his journal; but he adds, "There is a greater battle to be fought here."

We join with the portraits of our two martyred brethren that also of their much loved comrade Dr. Smith, who was laid peacefully to rest at Kagei last year. Let us thank God for all three, and ask Him to send us many like them.

PERSECUTION AT GREAT VALLEY.

UR readers will not have forgotten the deeply interesting letters from the Rev. A. E. Moule in our March number, describing the spread of the Gospel in "Great Valley," seventy miles from Hang-Chow. The following letter, relating the bitter persecution that has fallen upon the converts, will be read with much concern. Mr. Moule earnestly asks for prayer on behalf of the suffering flock :—

The past fortnight has been one of extreme trial and anxiety to me, on account of the fierce and still raging persecution and violence in the Chu-ki hills (Great Valley), which broke out in the first days of February. I mentioned in my last the first attack, and the fright of Luke and Silas, and my having sent down Chee-siensen (a Christian writer) to Chu-ki. He returned the day after I posted the last letter with Luke and Silas from that city. Serious news of fresh violence, including the dismantling of the little chapel, and Luke's house, with the burning of books and furniture, reached the magistrate's office whilst Chee and the others were there. He at once saw the magistrate a second time, and told him these particulars.

The magistrate apparently (at this time) behaved very well. He declined to receive a petition against Christianity from the gentry. He told them that the Emperor sanctioned it, and how could he forbid it? And to Chee he promised proclamations, money in compensation for losses, and a personal visit to Great Valley to quiet the tumult. Chee was hopeful, and so was I. But, alas! on Tuesday, the 17th, Silas and others, who had ventured down to Li-p'u (three miles from their home), came up in the greatest distress and alarm.

The magistrate had kept his word, and visited Great Valley on the 15th, Sunday; but, either maliciously, or from fear of the people, he behaved so as to make matters infinitely worse. He went to the public hall, where I held services last October, and addressed the people. What follows I hear from Andrew, who was present. He says that when the magistrate asked for the Christians, he answered to that name.

Why don't you worship your ancestors?" asked the magistrate. "We obey God's Ten Commandments," he replied. "What Ten Commandments?"

Andrew, upon this, kneeling before him, repeated them for all to hear, and added, "This religion of Jesus is from heaven. We are not disobeying the Emperor's laws. All we ask for is that we may leave off what God forbids. Will your excellency come and see our chapel and house which have been destroyed?"

"Oh," replied the magistrate, "you have joined the foreigners; the foreigners will make it good." And then, addressing the people, he said, "This religion is a foreign one, not Chinese. But foreigners are dangerous people. It will be well to leave them alone. However, you, elders of the place, must decide for yourselves how to treat these Christians. In our own native place, there were some twenty families once who believed this religion, and they were suppressed in that way."

Much of what he said could not be heard by Andrew; but what followed showed the animus of it. The people shouted, "We will manage the business. We are not afraid." The magistrate left, and at once the solitary proclamation on the hall door was torn down, and a notice substituted offering twenty dollars for Luke, alive or dead. What remained of the furniture in the house and chapel was utterly destroyed, and the poor Christians had to fly for their lives. Poor Silas heard that his wife and three children had fled, and that the other two little ones had been seen hungry and crying in the empty house, and that his own life was threatened. Poor old Tryphosa was very roughly handled, and James, her youngest son, was dragged, and pushed, and cuffed, and forced down before the idol. In a village three miles off, where there are seventeen inquirers, the constable went in whilst they were at prayer, knocked them all on the head with his heavy pipe-bowl (of brass), and abused them for being Christians. One of these was Luke's wife, who had fled thither for refuge; nine were able-bodied men who would have annihilated the constable (as they say) had he treated them so before they were Christians; but, knowing that they must not return evil for evil, they bore it in patience.

You can imagine how distressed and perplexed I was when this sad news reached me. The one comfort I had was the hope that it is, if I may say so, pure persecution for the Gospel's sake; and the news that all but one (the lad whose father persecuted him at the time of his baptism, but who has, alas! been growing cold for some time past) seem to have held fast their faith. They worry and threaten us," says James, "and then we all go to prayer." Poor old Lebbæus (Luke's eldest brother) was beaten on the face. His son brought him some food the other day, and he knelt down to say grace, when the son, in a rage, took the food away again. Andrew, after his bold confession, was a mark for special hatred, and fled to his home. He lay down, by a strange instinct, on a

bed in an outer room and covered himself up. The mob pursued him, and searched all the inner rooms where they thought he was hiding; but failing to find him there, and passing the outer room without notice, they went away. At nightfall he escaped to the hills, and came up here, where he is now in safeguard.

I have good hope that, through God's great mercy, His most blessed cause in those hills shall come forth like gold.

LIST OF THE GREAT VALLEY CONVERTS BAPTIZED SINCE SEPTEMBER, 1877.

Luke Chow, schoolmaster, the first John, Luke's eldest son (15 years). convert. Tryphosa, mother of Peter, Andrew, Thomas, and James.

VI.—THE MOHAMMEDAN INVASION.

IX centuries before Christ, as we have seen, the religion of Buddha arose, in revolt against the idolatry, the cruelty, the selfish caste distinctions of Hinduism; and in course of time grew to be, in other ways, as idolatrous, as cruel, as selfish. Six centuries after Christ, the religion of Mohammed arose, in revolt against the superstition and corruption of Pagans, Jews, and Christians alike in Arabia and Syria; and quickly became as superstitious and corrupt, and far more fanatical. Such are the results of human attempts at reformation. And if men can spoil even the faith of Christ, as we know they have done in so large a part of Christendom, what must we expect when they devise new religions of their own?

Mr. Vaughan attributes the first success of Islam-or, as we call it, Mohammedanism-to the yearnings of thoughtful men after the knowledge of God. He quotes from another recent book (Dr. J. M. Arnold's Islam and Christianity) a touching narrative in illustration of this. Some years, it seems, before Mohammed appeared, four men of the Arab tribe he belonged to, the Koreishites, met together and told each other their longings. "What is this pretended divinity," they asked, "which our people worship? Only a dumb and senseless block of stone.* Let us seek the pure religion of our forefather Abraham, and seek it, if need be, in foreign lands." Three actually started on their travels in search of truth, and were ultimately received into the Christian Church. The fourth, Zaid, stayed at Mecca, and used daily to visit the Kaaba (the sacred temple), and pray thus: 'Lord, if I knew in what way Thou didst will to be adored and served, I would obey Thy will; but I know it not." He vigorously denounced the prevailing vices and superstitions; but he only met with persecution, and was at last murdered.

When we think of men like these, we see the terrible guilt of the Christendom of that day, which, instead of carrying the Gospel of peace to anxious souls, was rent by barren controversies, and daily becoming more corrupt and superstitious. The man who was to give the East a new religion was not a Christian missionary. It was Mohammed. And his new creed went its conquering way until it subdued, not only paganism, but Christianity too, over a large portion of Asia and Africa, and even in part of Europe.

*The famous black stone in the Kaaba at Mecca; which, though afterwards so sacred in the eyes of Mussulmans, had been worshipped by the heathen Arabs long before Mohammed's time.

This is not the place to discuss the character of Mohammed. Great authorities differ much regarding him. Mr. Vaughan thinks he may have been a well-meaning reformer at first. Certainly he was a very bad man afterwards. How far he was self-deceived, and how far a wilful deceiver, we need not inquire. We have now only to do with his religion. What was old and true in it was borrowed from the Scriptures; what was old, but false, from the heathen superstitions of the time; what was new in it was almost wholly bad. Its central doctrine is a grand truth" There is no God but God"; but it is Unity without the Trinity, not the still grander truth of the Trinity in Unity. It represents God as Almighty and All-merciful; but it knows Him not as All-Holy. It knows nothing of the guilt of sin and the need of atonement: in this respect it is far below Hinduism. It is a religion of works; and not of works of righteousness, mercy, and faith, but of external "religious acts." A contrite spirit, a pure heart, have no place in the Koran; but if a man believes in God and Mohammed, repeats certain Arabic prayers (whether he understands them or not) five times a day, gives alms, keeps the fast of the month Ramazan (when he may make up for going without food all day by feasting all night), and performs, either himself or by deputy, a pilgrimage to Mecca once in his life, his salvation is secure. And what of the future life? Islam tells of a resurrection, a general judgment, a heaven and a hell; but its heaven is simply a place of bodily indulgence and the lowest of sinful pleasures.

Mohammedanism is therefore an easy religion for fallen human nature; and yet it made but little way by the force of its own merit. Its empire was gained by fire and sword."Fight for the religion of God; kill the infidels wherever you find them," was Mohammed's own injunction; and as his Arab followers, filled with enthusiasm and sure of "Paradise if they fell fighting, overran country after country, thousands had to choose between confessing the prophet and a cruel death. The corrupt Christianity of the East had no strength to resist the onset ; still less had the old fire-worship of Arabia and Persia; and strange to say, the most desperate struggle Islam had was with Hinduism in India.

This chapter is headed "The Mohammedan Invasion." For Islam was a foreign religion which came to India from without. And it won its way, not by being preached, like Buddhism, but by hard fighting. For three hundred years invasion after invasion was repelled; but in the eleventh century, about fifty years before the Norman conquest of England, Mahmoud of Ghuzni established the Mussulman dominion in Hindustan. The dominion only: not the religion to any great extent; and in the centuries that followed, it was only by the sword that Islam gradually extended. Multitudes of Brahmins met death with a heroism worthy of Christian martyrs rather than desert their creed and their caste. Dreadful massacres followed every war with the Hindu princes who still reigned independent in Central India. One of the Moslem kings, Mohammed Shah, who was contemporary with our Edward III., made a solemn vow on the Koran that he would not sheathe his sword till he had dyed it with the blood of 100,000 idolaters; and he kept his vow.

The most powerful of the Mussulman rulers of India were those of the Mogul dynasty which reigned at Delhi for three centuries: especially Akbar, in our Queen Elizabeth's time, and Aurungzebe, in that of Charles II. Akbar was a remarkable man. Though at first an earnest Moslem, he was tolerant to the Hindus. Under the influence of the Romanist priests from the Portuguese settlement of Goa, he professed to embrace Christianity; but he refused baptism, and set up a mixed religion which he called the Divine Faith. At length he returned to his old allegiance, and died a Mussulman. The Mogul dynasty lingered on, despite great reverses, after the time of Aurungzebe, at length became tributary to the British Government, and finally fell when the great