he could not hear anything; a believing Israelite assisted him in following the prayers and the lessons. When he was asked, why he went so regularly to church, not being able to hear? he generally answered, Because I would have part in the promise, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name,' "&e. His attendance became known to his father, who at first spoke to him mildly, then very harshly, and at length told him to leave his house, which he did. On Sunday evening, Nov. 12, Rabbi van W. came with a great number of low Jews to church. The old Rabbi placing himself in the gallery right opposite his son, made him signs that he should leave the church immediately, that he should look upon his father's gray head (he is seventy-eight years of age), and not bring it with sorrow to the grave; and though his son very naturally felt for his father's grief, and would gladly have given up all else for his affectionate father, yet forsake Jesus Christ he could not. The Jews became very turbulent; numbers left the gallery and ran into the porch, and a great uproar was heard. I continued my sermon to the end, as if nothing had gone on outside the church; but when we opened the church-doors, the confusion was extremely great. No one could leave the church for some time. Two of the police-officers were overpowered by the Jews, but were rescued. A Jew gave a violent blow to one of the members of the church on the face, so that the blood flowed. At last the police dispersed the Jews, and succeeded in taking the two ringleaders; they were locked up during the night, and in the morning they were brought before the police-court. But the Rabbi experienced that a bad cause gains nothing by violence; his son became, through this affair, if possible more established in his faith, and other Jews were stirred up to investigate that truth which can exercise such a powerful influence over a deaf and dumb man, known to be obedient and dutiful to his parent, as to lead him to forsake his father, to whom he was known to be excessively attached. On the Wednesday following many very respectable Jew scame to church, and several of them expressed their deep sorrow at what had taken place. The whole of this week I spent with van W., in prayer and reading; and on Sunday, the 19th of November, I complied with his earnest request to be admitted into the communion of the Church of Christ by Baptism. Believing Israelites were his sponsors. The answers required in our baptismal service he gave in writing. It was an affecting sight, and a solemn season, for the Lord Jesus Christ granted his presence. The congregation felt with me, as if the Lord had made in our presence this deaf and dumb man both to hear and to speak,-and has he not done it? Yes, though not audibly with the outward ear, but, which is by far more wonderful, inwardly, by quickening his soul with spiritual life, which will, we may hope, be consummated in life eternal! "

JOHN TELLSTRÖM.

A MISSIONARY TALE.

WE are indebted for the following deeply interesting and instructive narrative, to the Rev. G. Scott, of Stockholm, who, in fa communication

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addressed to the Continental Echo, thus describes the origin of the Swedish Mission to Lapland:

"The first Missionary to Lapland, Carl Ludovic Tellström, came to me in Stockholm, in the spring of 1833, under very interesting circumstances. He was a journeyman painter, and, as is too often the case there, it was expected that he would not object, at certain seasons, to work on the Lord's day. He had been convinced of sin, while attending the Swedish service in the English Chapel, and anxiously put the question, 'What must I do to be saved?' An arrangement was made, by which, at a sacrifice of one-seventh of his food and scanty wages, he was set free from Sabbath toil. His growth in grace was most encouraging; he was soon engaged in various efforts to do good, and ere long he informed me that, having met with a book describing the spiritual darkness and destitution of the Laplanders, he felt a strong desire to labour among them.

"Immediately previous to this conversation I had, without any application or expectation on my part, received a sum of money from London, contributed by a few Christian friends, not Methodists, to be employed for the spiritual benefit of Lapland; and it seemed that God had placed before us a suitable agent. In this I was confirmed, by the result of a somewhat sifting examination, to which it appeared proper to subject my friend. His attention was drawn, among other matters, to the following:-1. The language: the almost impossibility of so acquiring it as to speak it fluently. He said, 'I have thought of this, and being informed by the royal librarian that a Lappish and Latin Grammar was published many years ago, I inquired at the several book-shops for a copy, but without success. Returning to the librarian, he convinced me that the edition could not be sold out; and having obtained permission to search among the unsold lumber of the book-shops, I met, at length, with a bundle of this Grammar in sheets, and with a Lappish Testament in addition. I have been trying the language, and firmly believe I shall be able to master it.' 2. The cold-much more intense than in Stockholm, and by no means the same shelter and comfort to be obtained. I have thought of this, too,' he replied, and during the late severe weather have gone up and down the stone stairs, and about the yard, where I reside, without my shoes and stockings, that I might test my capability of bearing exposure to cold. I have not suffered at all, and am fully convinced that, in this respect, I am specially fitted for Lapland.' 3. Food:-no farinaceous or vegetable diet being to be easily had in the interior, and generally nothing but the flesh of the reindeer smoked, or otherwise prepared. This,' said he, has not given me a thought; I have been none the worse for fasting once a week that I might secure my precious Sabbaths, and, if God send me to Lapland, He will support me there.' 4. Solitude:he was reminded that he would be separated from Christian intercourse, and might be placed where, for many dreary miles, he could not meet with a spiritual friend. 'This,' he replied, much moved, does discourage me. I seem too young a convert, too inexperienced, to be removed from the careful nursing of the Christian Church; I feel how much I need this; and yet, if God be directing my steps to Lapland, my soul may certainly rely on that word, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world;" and if Jesus be with me, is not this enough?

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"No doubt could remain as to Tellström's call to Lapland; but the way was not yet open, and he needed some further preparation. During the winter of 1834-5, he was set free from toil, and directed in his studies, the money sent from England being deemed available for this purpose. No fixed sum was allowed him, but he was told to come to me whenever he needed assistance. Frequently was he asked if he did not require money,—and his answer was 'No;' he had, however, been in a strait for some article of clothing, and his first impulse was to come to me for the sum, but considering the money in my charge as missionary money, and peculiarly sacred, he felt that he could not touch it while he had silver in his own possession. At his Baptism, a noble sponsor had presented him with a silver table-spoon; such gifts are highly prized, and generally handed down as heirlooms from generation to generation, and my friend naturally hesitated ere he parted with his; but his determination not to touch the 'holy missionary money while he had silver of his own' triumphed, and he disposed of the spoon to purchase what was wanted. On the eve of his departure for Lapland, a friend, entirely ignorant of the circumstance now related, gave him a silver table-spoon, and he had just time to get an engraver to inscribe on it the words recorded in Luke xviii. 29, 30, ere he embarked.

"In the spring of 1835, the Swedish Missionary Society was formed, the first acknowledgment by the Swedish Lutheran Church of the principle that Christians are bound to extend Christianity. The organization now existed which could open Tellström's way to Lapland, but although appointed foreign secretary to the Society, I felt that it would not do for me to bring the matter forward there in the first instance, as such was the depth and strength of prejudice, that many would look upon this mission to Lapland as a Methodist propagandism. Being, however, on friendly terms with the Bishop of Hernösand, in whose diocese Lapland is situated, I wrote to him; and his prompt reply assured me that he would be most happy to give Tellström authority as a catechist, if the Missionary Society would engage to support him in that office. The proposal was acceded to; and Tellström sailed for Umla, in July, 1835, thence to proceed inland to Lycksele, a border parish, where, under the care of the clergyman, he was to perfect himself in the language.

"The first Sabbath was spent with the usual single service in the church, and appeared to Tellström a meagre day; before the next, however, he had obtained the pastor's permission to call such of the household servants as could be spared into his room, for a religious exercise in the Swedish language; on the third, several of the villagers desired to be present; he could not admit them, but promised to speak to the clergyman about it during the week. No objection being made, the room, in a few weeks' time, became so crowded that the pastor told him he would order the church to be opened for him in the afternoons, that as many as chose to attend might be accommodated. This would never have been done had the poor catechist requested it in the first instance,

"Tellström having acquired a sufficient knowledge of the language, commenced his efforts to communicate gospel truth to adult Laplanders. But the obstacles were found to be very formidable. The residence of the families is fixed according to the movements of the flocks of deer pos

sessed by them. So long as the animals obtain a supply of moss they remain stationary; but when that supply begins to fail, the deer set off to a more favoured spot, and the family must strike tent and follow. No great number of Laplanders can, therefore, be found together, and travelling from place to place is hazardous. In summer, extensive marshes have to be crossed, the roads consisting of small pine-trees, stripped of their branches, and thrown longitudinally into the marsh; these float upon the surface and sustain the weight of a single traveller, who, with his soft sealskin boots, yielding to the shape of the tree, and possessed of requisite skill in maintaining his equilibrium, may, at the expense of much fatigue, accomplish a few miles a day. In the winter all is frozen over, but the danger of being lost in trackless deserts is imminent. My excellent friend was brought near his end, and passed through months of excruciating suffering, by missing his way on a winter journey.

"Tellström ascertaining that the Laplanders gathered in large numbers at several points where annual, or semi-annual, markets were held, (the Swedish merchants bringing up manufactured goods, and exchanging them for reindeer-skins, &c.,) rejoiced in the opportunity this would afford him of holding meetings with the objects of his solicitude. But he soon found that the wickedness of man presented obstructions still more appalling than the natural difficulties already noticed. On the eve of marketday, each booth had on the counter glasses and a jar of spirits, and the Laplanders were encouraged to drink freely without charge. The offer was so universally accepted, that all of them were in a state of inebriation during the market, and it was in vain to attempt to interest them in religious things.

"The missionary wisely concluded that he must direct his chief attention to the young. He opened a school, where eighteen Lappish children were placed under religious instruction for two years; they were clothed, boarded, and lodged, at the expense of the Society; and at the end of the two years restored to their parents, with a supply of religious and useful

books, to spread the light they had received. Several young men, the

fruits of Tellström's labours, now co-operate with him in taking charge of similar schools.

"Nearly 150 children are now found in the seven schools, besides the hundreds who have already passed through them, while the catechists also, by turns, undertake journeys through the country. The grain of mustardseed, sown in 1835, is growing and becoming a great tree. In a recent communication, Tellström writes: "The day after the examination and religious service, the Laplanders assembled in the school-room to take farewell of their children and the teachers. After worship, the Laplanders requested that the children would again sing a hymn. The children raised their voices, and the adults listened with feelings which only parents who love their offspring can understand. With deep emotion, they said, on leaving, May God reward the good people who thus love our children.' The Laplander has feelings-tender feelings, and when God quickens his heart to thanksgiving and prayer, shall many a supplication arise from the depths of these wilds on behalf of the friends of missions."

"the

THE Valley of Jehoshaphat 'spoken of in Joel, is, by some interpreters, believed to refer not to any particular locality, but that it is figuratively used; and that no particular valley is intended. They incline to this opinion from the fact that the word "Jehoshaphat" literally means, judgment of Jehovah," and contend that the passage should be rendered "the valley of the Lord's judgment." Most commentators, however, believe that the valley spoken of, Gen. xiv. 17, and 2 Sam. xviii. 18, as "the king's dale," is the same as here designated "the valley of Jehoshaphat," which is situated to the east of Jerusalem, between that city and the Mount of Olives, and through which flows the brook Kidron. It is remarkable for the number of tombs it contains; the most conspicuous of which are the tombs of Zechariah, of Jehoshaphat, and of Absalom.* The first mentioned of these is a square mass of rock, hewn down into form, and isolated from the quarry out of which it is cut, by a passage of twelve or fifteen feet wide on three of its sides; the fourth, or western front being open towards the valley and to Mount Moriah, the foot of which is only a few yards distant. This rough stone is eight paces in length on each side, and about twenty feet in the front, and ten feet high at the back; the hill on which it stands having a steep ascent. It has *These tombs are distinctly shewn in our illustration, which is one of the many interesting engravings contained in the illustrated edition of Matthew Henry's Commentary. This work will be found replete with the most useful illustrations of the