what I have long felt, that in the future your work, like mine, is to be the earnest winning of souls to Christ.'

'I dare not decide for myself,' Kenneth answered, after a moment's silence. I am here to stand in my lot. I am at rest in this matter. Wherever God needs me, He will shape my course, and there I shall work and be satisfied.'

Silence rested on the bowed heads of the lads, while a whispered prayer was borne over the golden pavement to the ear of the great Father of all, and the blessing of peace was theirs.

A moment later the church was flooded with light. Reverently, and in order, came the

pupils of Mr Streets' school, then parents and friends.

It was the young people's meeting, and a young man, a mere youth, was to lead it. "Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee;

""For this God is our God, for ever and ever; He will be our guide even unto death."" The reader's voice faltered, then grew strong, and was at last exultant.

Kenneth Kline followed in prayer.

Without distinctly realising how, and in what manner it would be effected, Carey was satisfied that Kenneth's life-work would run parallel with his own. (To be continued.)

WAS holding meetings in a town in the West, telling what God had done for me. One night I spoke in the opera-house, and at the close asked the people to come and sign the pledge. A tall man stood up away in the back part of the building, and shouted, 'Put my name on that pledge!' I was busy with the signers, for out of a population of 10,000, three hundred people came forward at that meeting and registered their names. I turned and saw the man standing near by.

As I caught his eye he reached out his hand and said, 'I am the man who said, "Put my name on that pledge." Do you think I can keep it? Yes; I think you can keep it, with God's help." I had scarcely released his hand when two of the finest men of the city came up to speak to him. 'Now, Jake, you make an effort, and we will help you, and God will help you.' I wish I had the graphic touch of an Angelo, that I might picture the face of the man as they got hold of his hand. Said he, 'Will-you-help-me?' 'Yes, we will!' Well-I'll-try!' Ah! he knew what a fight it was to be.

These men did not leave him. Give me the Christian heart that grapples with the sinking man and says, 'I will not let him go.' They are the true heroes anointed by God Himself, who will walk to the edge of the pit and pull up their lost brother if their hands are burnt in doing it. These men stayed with Jake all night-think of it they never went home. They made a little vinegar punch, and put it on his burning lips, so strong was the appetite that was consuming him, and with which he had to do battle. I was passing up the public street next day early in the morning. A gentleman stopped me and said, That man is in my office.' I'd like to see him,' I said. After I had posted some letters I went into the lawyer's anteroom, and there was my poor drinking friend, with this Christian gentleman holding his head. The man did not notice me, and in a

little while I found my eyes were blinded. By-and-by he threw up his head a little, and oh, such a face! Sunken cheeks, lips coated and drawn tight, and large black eyes looking out of his head. Mr Murphy, would you go home with me?' I said I would. When would you go?' 'I will go now.' 'I want to tell you,' he said, 'I have one of the best women in the city for my wife, and I have a lovely little boy; but I have not been home for about a week, and I am ashamed to go.' I knew something about what it was for a man to be away from home for a week, and I said, 'I will go.'

We started down the steps, and as we reached the street, the carriage of a friend of mine was passing. He asked us to get in. As we drove near the place, Jake touched me and said, 'That is my house, over there.' We could see a little woman through the window. That is my wife.' We got him out of the carriage. He was a great, tall man, and he straightened himself up and walked as best he could to the door. Mind you, he was not sober. As I saw him walking along, I thought, 'A little while ago I was in that condition myself; I thank God that I am saved.' I stepped in with him, and his wife was sitting by the window sewing. I have seen a great many sorrowful-looking women, but I think I never saw such a face.

'Wife

Jake undertook to introduce me. this is-Mr Murphy-the temperance-man. I met him-down town-last night-and I thought I would-bring him-up home. I didn't know but you would-like-to-see him.' She never lifted her head. This is Mr-Murphy-the-temperance man.' But she paid no attention to either of us. I believe she thought I had been keeping company with her husband in his cups. Jake walked across the floor, sat down in a chair, and with his elbows on his knees, hid his face in his hands. Nobody invited me to sit down, but I helped myself to a chair. I could not help looking at Jake's wife. There she sat with her face white as marble, and the

cheek-bones sticking out. I am not exaggerating when I say that her hand looked more like a bird's claw than a hand.

By-and-by, to the right of me, in a back room, there was a sound of something going on. A little fellow walked out, and patter, patter, went his little feet along the floor. Where do you think he went? Över yonder to the drunken father. He laid his little hands on his father's hands. The man raised his head a little, and put his arms about his boy. Said he, Do you-love-papa?' 'I love oo, papa! I love oo, papa' the little fellow replied. The poor drunken father kissed his boy; then he bowed his head and wept like a child. The mother had paid no attention to me, but when she heard her husband weeping she lifted her head in amazement and said to me, 'Mr Murphy, has my husband signed the pledge?' I said, 'Yes, ma'am.' In an instant the little face that was so white became radiant with the colour of a new life. She too bowed her head and wept. The poor drunkard rose to his feet and came and knelt before his wife. He steadied himself and said, 'Wife, I want you to forgive me.' 'Oh yes,' she said, 'I can forgive you; but the child has been so hungry!' 'I know it; but, with God's help, it shall not occur again.'

I must tell you that the wife's father lived in a city of Pennsylvania, and the mayor of the town had telegraphed to her father that she was starving. Said she, 'Father has been here, and he says if I won't go home now, I can never go.' And then she said, 'Do you want me to go?' 'Oh no,' he said, 'stay with me.' I said to her, 'Have you ever asked God for Christ's sake to give you your husband sober?' 'I do not think I have, Mr Murphy; I do not know how to pray.' I said, Let us kneel down together and ask God to help us.' In that little home in the West I knelt with my brother and my sister, and in my humble way asked God for Christ's sake to help the poor drunkard. And oh! how he prayed for himself. I heard the crack of the chains that had bound him. I saw the walls of the prison-house, where he had lain so long, crumble to pieces by the infinite mystery of God's saving grace. I saw him stand erect, disenthralled, with a free hand, a clean mouth, and a new heart. He has been a true, noble, consistent Christian gentleman, and a member of the Church of Christ, from that time to the present. And to-night he receives the grateful devotion of forty thousand men whom he has helped as a living testimony to the saving efficiency of the Gospel of the Son of God.-London Christian.

spondence with the Society, 265; scholars, 16,648; zenanas visited, 278; pupils in do. (returns imperfect), 1399. Receipts have been £7652, and expenditure £7625.

PROTESTANT CHRISTIANS IN INDIA. - In 1851 they numbered 91,092; 1861, 183,731; 1871, 224,258; 1881, 340,623. This represents a gain of 52 per cent. from 1851 to 1861, 61 per cent. from 1861 to 1871, and 52 per cent. from 1871 to 1881. The per cent. gain in the Protestant schools has been about the same. JAPAN.-A Japanese newspaper publishes a list of fifty Japanese books prepared by the missionaries of the American Board; a striking commentary on the progress of the land during the past eleven years. Fifteen of these are published by native houses, and six are prepared at their own charges by native Christians.

CANADA - ITS RELIGIOUS STATISTICS.Population, according to the census of last year, 4,324,810. Of this number 1,791,982 are Roman Catholics, leaving 2,522,830 in the various Protestant denominations.

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING FEMALE EDUCATION IN THE EAST.-Two fresh labourers have gone forth into the field during the past year. It has missionaries, 32; missionary corre

THE CHRISTIAN VERNACULAR EDUCATION SOCIETY FOR INDIA.-Total receipts for the past year, £12,894; expenditure, £13,736; training institutions, 3; teachers and mission agents trained, 710; students under training as teachers, 130; children under Christian instruction, 6500; children instructed by teachers trained by the Society in schools of other societies, 32,000; copies of publications printed in eighteen languages, 9,277,499; colporteurs in India and Ceylon, 158.

THE BISHOP OF LONDON'S FUND.-About £650,000 have been contributed for the purposes of this fund; 129 new churches in London and 13 in Surrey have been aided by it. Besides numerous mission-rooms, 250 clergymen have been added to the diocese, and 68 lay agents are now supported by the fund.

IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS.-In addition to the sum spent by this Society in maintaining missionaries and teachers, it has been instrumental in causing the erection-with funds specially raised for the purpose of 19 churches, 9 parsonages, 8 orphanages, and 33 schoolhouses. At present it maintains 33 Sunday schools, attended by 2298 children and adults, and 60 week-day schools with an

attendance of 3015 scholars. The missionary agency numbers 288, comprising 27 ordained clergymen, 172 trained agents-Scripturereaders, schoolmasters and mistresses-and 89 agents employed in Irish teaching and in teaching texts of Scripture. About 149 Sabbath and 138 week day services are held during each month, attended by aggregate congregations of about 23,000. During each month the Scripture-readers make nearly 8000 visits, visiting about 16,000 persons. Nearly a million of tracts, handbills, and other plain spiritual and pointed publications are circulated every year. The income, exclusive of English contributions, has been £2472.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.-Total contributions for the past year, £212,910; expenditure, £193,515. Within the year there have been accepted nineteen candidates for mission service, ready to go out at once. The Society has now on its roll of missionaries eleven qualified medical men, three of whom are ordained, and the rest laymen, engaged distinctively as medical missionaries. In addition, many of the Society's missionaries have more or less acquaintance with medicine and surgery, and have made effective use of their knowledge. There are also two native qualified medical men, both ordained.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. The total issues of Bibles, New Testaments, and portions at home have been 1,509,000; abroad, 1,429,000; in all, 2,038,000 copies; and since the formation of the Society, 93,953,000. The free income has been £104,837; from Scriptures sold, £94,822; and the total income | has been £199,785. The Society has about 300 colporteurs over Europe, and 200 more in other parts of the world. There are 60 colporteurs in France, and they have sold 76,300 books, large and small, within the year. The circulation in Austria shows an increase of 8000 copies. A wider toleration is still needed in Austria proper, for in almost every part

local authorities forbid real Bible colportage; and in the Tyrol, even orders for Bibles may not be taken. In Italy 40 colporteurs have sold 39,000 copies. In Sweden the Gospel of Matthew has been published in Swedish Lapp, prepared by Pastor Laestadius.

LONDON SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIANITY AMONG THE JEWS.-Income for past £2818; expenditure, £35,331. The Society year, £37,055, exceeding the preceding year by has been the precursor and pioneer of kindred societies. There are now about fifteen Protestant societies for the promotion of Christianity among the Jews. At the annual meeting, Rev. Dr Stern stated that there were at least 3000 converts from Judaism to Christianity at present in this country. He had himself, within the last ten years, baptised nearly 200 Jews and Jewesses, and the baptismal register of the Society in Palestine Place contained the names of more than 800 Jewish people who, during the last twenty years, had publicly avowed their faith in Christ crucified.

RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY.-During the past year 664 new publications have been issued. The receipts from all sources have been £198,934, and the expenditure £196,426. The total amount received from subscriptions has been £29,013, and the excess of grants over the missionary receipts has been £17,013, making a total missionary expenditure of

£46,027.

CHURCH OF England ZenANA MISSIONARY SOCIETY.-Income for past year, £15,614, an increase of £1975 on the year; an increase mainly due to the exertions of the Ladies' Associations, which had increased to 452. The Society had now 52 missionaries in the field. The first annual meeting of the Bengali Christian Ladies' Association, held in Calcutta in November last, was attended by nearly 300 native ladies.

H dear, it's pleasant, and it will be just perfectly elegant this evening,' said Carrie Leonard, turning away from her window with a sigh and a very, very long face. There was to be a concert that evening, a remarkably fine one, by the best talent, and Ned Wilmer had invited her to go. Given the prospect of a 'perfectly elegant' evening, full moon, capital driving, a four-mile ride in excellent company, with a rare musical treat at the end of it-and can you possibly imagine what one could find to sigh and look doleful about? But you see it was Thursday:

Prayer and conference meeting as usual on Thursday evening at 7.30 o'clock.

That was the notice read on Sunday, and therein lay the secret of Carrie's sigh. It was only a few weeks before that she had publicly confessed her love for Christ, and her earnest desire and purpose to please Him in all things. It had slipped her mind what evening it was when she had accepted the invitation. And now, what should she do?

She knew just how Ned would look, how sarcastically he would smile when she told him why she could not go. And yet how many, many times in the olden days they two had commented on the inconsistencies of Christians! Ned had been away; she did not know whether he had been told of her change or not. Somehow she had not had courage to speak of it herself, though they had compared

notes on all other topics. Oh dear, what should she do?

'If Ned knows I profess to be a Christian, I'm very sure that, though he may be vexed, still, after all, clear down in his heart, he will think I ought to stay at home and be in my place.'

But how could she give up the treat? And how could she tell him? Her face grew hot at the very thought of his mocking smile. She had hoped it would be stormy, so that it would be impossible to go. She had felt that she should look upon her sickest sick headache as a positive godsend; anything, in fact, she thought would be welcome that would decide the question for her. But never had she felt better in her life, and not a cloud was to be seen. She must decide herself whether she would confess her Saviour or deny Him.

'But,' she thought, brightening up, I do not see why I need worry and fret so. It cannot be wrong after all to go; for Deacon Smith and his wife are going, and Mame Trask, Will Sheldon, and Mr and Mrs Fisk too, and every one of them church members. The idea of my being so foolish as to think it wrong.' And banishing all her scruples, she went about setting her room to rights, her face bright with pleasant anticipations for the evening's enjoyment.

But when she came to sit down to her morning's reading, her expression changed, for this was the very first verse her eyes rested upon: What is that to thee; follow thou Me' After all, what was it to her whether every one else went or not, she was to follow Him, not others. But how she did hate to give it up!

Then, too, there was Ned. If he was not a Christian, she pleaded, she wanted to influence him to be. Would it not prejudice him against religion if she should excuse herself from going on account of the prayer-meeting? What is that to thee; follow thou Me!' The words fairly rang in her ears. It was not anything to her; her part was to follow Christ. He would take care of the rest.

JUNE 24.

"The dickens!' exclaimed Ned Wilmer in surprise, as be let fall a dainty little note from his hands that noon. Plague take it!' he said impatiently, as he picked it up again.

An hour afterwards, he added to himself, over his books and papers,' But it was plucky in her, after all, and I respect her for it. I always said, if I was a Christian, I would be up to the mark. I hate half-way work-butI wish she'd let me alone!' And then Ned tried to put all his thoughts upon his work. But there was an earnest little plea in the note he had thrown so impatiently aside that would not be forgotten; in fact, the harder he tried to forget about it the more persistently he remembered it, and at last he gave it up in despair.

And only to think,' said Carrie afterwards, the very thing I was afraid would prejudice him, influenced him most of all, he says. I believe, after all, it was Satan put that thought into my head; for I do believe if only I follow Christ closely, everything will end right.'

SORROW TO THE CHRISTIAN. In the Lauterbrunnen, in the canton of Bern, in the Swiss Oberland, rushes a mountain stream toward the valley as if it would carry destruction among the villages below. But, leaping from a sheer precipice of nearly nine hundred feet in height, it is caught in the clutch of the winds and sifted in fine, soft showers, whose benignant spray covers the fields with perpetual green. Many a sorrow, Christian friend, may be such a torrent to you. It may bedew you with meekness, patience, heavenly-mindedness. In the grand and glorious vocation of building, as Christ shall help you, a perfected Christian character, it will do what no dazzle of prosperity will effect. And when, in the life to come, your eyes open to see all things in their true values, you may cry in grateful ecstasy, 'Thank God for my griefs and afflictions.'Advance.

"THERE IS ONE EVENT UNTO ALL'-
Eccles. ix. 3.

For age, then, death is looked for; young men know they may die, old men know they must die. The youngest is old enough to die, the oldest too old to live long. Death stands behind the young man's back, before the old man's face. There are three messengers of death-casualty, sickness, age. Hath not the first messenger spoke with thee? yet the second. Hast thou escaped the second? yet the third will not fail. 'As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and a serpent bit him.' While a man runs from the lion, the bear assaults

him; if he escape them both, yet death (that serpent) will find him out. Childhood is our morning, middle age our high noon, old age our evening, death our sunset. One would have young men saluted with, Good morrow, or welcome into the world; men of middle age with, Good day; old men with, Good night, because they are going out of the world. It is miserable for an old man not to be prepared for death. Death shakes him by the hand in the palsy, yet no acquaintance? he hath one foot in the grave, yet no thought of dissolution? he is come to the threshold of his long home, yet still worldly-minded. But the good old man thinks this life, like a throng in a narrow passage, the sooner out the sooner at ease.-T. Adams.

JUNE 25. 'WATCH THEREFORE: FOR YE KNOW NOT WHAT HOUR YOUR LORD DOTH COME.'Matt. xxiv. 42.

Seeing our dissolution is so certain, the time so uncertain, the very mention of it bids us be prepared. Put not off your amendment, lest what you defer for a long time, God take away for ever. For it is just. that he who living forgot God, dying should forget himself. Many serve God, as they do their servants, with reversions, but He looks to be served with present obedience. We know not our last day, that we might watch every day; we cannot tell how far it is off, therefore let us believe it to be very near. God allows man a liberal time, a whole day. Now a day consists of twelve hours; Are there not twelve hours in the day? saith Christ. What enemies are we to ourselves, that of those twelve hours which God allows us, we allow ourselves not one!-T. Adams.

JUNE 26.

'GO THY WAY FOR THIS TIME; WHEN I HAVE A CONVENIENT SEASON, I WILL CALL FOR THEE.--Acts xxiv. 25.

Many men post off their conversion; and at twenty send religion afore them to thirty; then put it off to forty; and yet not pleased to overtake it, they promise it entertainment at threescore. At last death comes, and he allows not one hour. In youth men resolve to afford themselves the time of age to serve God; in age they shuffle it off to sickness; when sickness comes, care to dispose their goods, lothness to die, hope to escape, martyrs that good thought, and their resolution still keeps before them. If we have but the lease of a farm for one-and-twenty years, we make use of the time, and gather profit. But in this precious farm of time we are so bad husbands that our lease comes out before we are one pennyworth of grace the richer by it. -T. Adams.

JUNE 27.

'BEHOLD, NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME.'— 2 Cor. vi. 2.

Let men repent while they live, that they may rejoice when they die. You tell me that one malefactor went from the cross to paradise; but we must not hide from you that God opened the mouth of one ass, yet every ass is not thereby privileged to speak. Let us be liberal on God's part. He that truly repents one day before he dies shall surely be saved. With greediness you hear this, but abuse it not; trust it, but trust not yourselves. He that gives pardon to repentance, is not bound to give repentance to sinners. Be sure thou repentest that one day before thy death; but hereof thou canst not be sure unless thou repent every day. The Lord hath made a promise to repentance, not of repentance. If thou convertest to-morrow, thou art sure of grace; but thou art not sure of to-morrow's conversion.-T. Adams.

JUNE 28.

'BE YE THEREFORE READY ALSO: FOR THE
SON OF MAN COMETH AT AN HOUR WHEN
YE THINK NOT.'-Luke xii. 40.
For three reasons God conceals from us the

time of our death. 1. Because in nature the fear of death is more terrible than death itself.

We know that we must die, to avoid all doubts; we know not when, to qualify our neither the ungodly should despair, as if they fears. 2. To preserve men from despair. That had no time allowed for repentance; neither the faithful be cast down, because the time That we might be evermore armed with exwas too long of exercising their patience. 3. Because we pectation to encounter death. Paul to die daily. The worldling would weep know not when we shall die, let us learn with if he knew that he had but a month to live; when perhaps he hath not one day.-T. yet he leaps and sings, and securely rejoiceth,

Adams.

JUNE 29.

'I HAVE PLANTED, APOLLOS WATERED; BUT GOD GAVE THE INCREASE.'-1 Cor. iii. 6. All a minister can do is but his endeavour; Paul can but plant and Apollos water, it is God that gives the increase. It is our part to endeavour, the Lord's to bless it with success. Preachers are called saviours, 'Saviours shall come upon Mount Zion;' yet is there but one Saviour of us all, Jesus Christ. They are called lights, yet there is but one Light; Christ is that true Light, which lighteth every man.' They are called reconcilers, yet Christ is the only Reconciler; God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, and we have but the ministry of this reconciliation. It is one thing to teach, another thing to convert. Well may the minister move his tongue and his lips like organ-pipes, but if there be no breath of God's Spirit with them, it is to no purpose. Lift up your hearts to heaven; he hath a pulpit above the clouds that preacheth to the conscience.-T. Adams.

JUNE 30.

"WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS, THAT THE EXCELLENCY OF the POWER MAY BE OF GOD, AND Not of us.' -2 Cor. iv. 7.

It is the name of Jesus, through faith in that name, which converts us; let none of His glory cleave to our earthen fingers. You think it enough to commend us; no, bless the Lord, whose power is magnified in our weakness. When we have done all, it is but our endeavour; we would have saved you. And be it to our comfort, our endeavour shall be accepted; If there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not.' We endeavour to save you, do you endeavour to be saved; and the Spirit of God bless both our endeavours; that though the minister part with his people on earth, they may all meet together in heaven.-T. Adams.