THE MAHAWELLI-GANGA, CEYLON.

THE road from Colombo to Kandy passes first through marshy plains, on an embankment, whose sides are shaded by long lines of teak. On either

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side hamlets may be seen, surrounded by cocoa-nut trees. These, as. the traveller gets more inland, are succeeded by graceful arecas. "But what most excites the wonder of a stranger are flowering trees which adorn the landscape." After leaving the picturesque rest-house of Ambepusse, about half-way between Colombo and Kandy, the road crosses spurs of hills, which descend from the mountains in the interior, and the aspect of the country changes from lowlands to the less cultivated highlands. "The forests become so dense, that troops of monkeys venture in sight, and flocks of plumb-headed paroquets romp and scream among the branches. Buddhist temples appear in secluded spots. Shaven priests, in yellow robes, and carrying ivory fans, plod on their errand of poverty, to collect food in the villages. The houses are surrounded, not by a grove of cocoa-nuts, but by a fence of coffee-bushes, with their polished green leaves, and wreaths of jessamine-like flowers."

During the last thirty miles the scenery is of great grandeur, as the road climbs hills, crosses torrents, and at last reaches its highest point at the pass of Kaduganawa, where it passes through a tunnel formed through an overhanging rock. From this point the road descends gently for eight or nine miles, "towards the banks of the Mahawelliganga, a part of which flows around Kandy, surrounding the city, as the Singhalese say, like a necklace of pearls."

Kandy is beautifully situated. It stands on the banks of a miniaturelake, overhung on all sides by hills, from whence may be obtained charming views of the city, with its temples and monuments. A road,

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which bears the name of Lady Horton's Walk, winds round one of those hills; and on the eastern side, which is steep and almost precipitous, it looks down into the valley of Doombera, through which the Mahawelliganga rolls over a channel of rocks, presenting a scene that, in majestic beauty, cannot be surpassed."

From Kandy to the sanatarium of Nuwera-ellia, a distance of fifty miles, the road is carried to a height of 6000 feet, passing through the mountain districts, where are the coffee-plantations. For the first twelve miles it runs within a short distance of the Mahawelli-ganga, crossing it by the bridge of Paradenia, which spans the river with a single arch of more than 200 feet, the crown of which is nearly seventy feet above the stream. At times the river is swollen greatly, and rushes with great force through the narrow channel. When, in 1815, the British occupied. Kandy, they found the coffee-tree growing in the vicinity of the temples. Ten years after, so soon as the hill-country was thrown open by the formation of the great central road, the first coffee-plantation was formed. by Sir Edward Burnes. "The mountain ranges on all sides of Kandy became rapidly covered with plantations; the great valleys of Doombera, Ambogamman, Kotmalie, and Pusilawa, were occupied by emulous specu-lators they settled on the steep passes ascending to Nuwera-ellia; they penetrated to Badullah and Ovah, and coffee-trees quickly bloomed on solitary hills around the very base of Adam's Peak.”

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"A plantation of coffee is, at every season, an object of beauty and interest. The leaves are bright and polished, like those of a laurel, but of a much darker green; the flowers, of the purest white, grow on tufts along the top of the branches, and bloom so suddenly, that at morning

the trees look as if snow had fallen on them in wreaths during the night. Their jasmine-like perfume is powerful enough to be oppressive; but this lasts only for a day, and the bunches of crimson berries which succeed resemble cherries in brilliancy and size. Within the pulp, concealed in a parchment-like sheath, lies the double seed, which, by a variety of processes, is freed from its integuments, and converted into coffee."

These coffee-plantations are the locality of our Kandy Cooly Mission. The plantations are interesting; the Mission still more so. We are raising up there trees of righteousness. Our work is slower, but it will be enduring. The coffee-trees bear fruit useful to man; but heathen men and women won to Christ will bear fruit to the glory of God. Our labourers are few-one Missionary, and some Tamil Christians from Tinnevelly; but the Lord works through their instrumentality. Let us desire that prejudice and ignorance, like the ancient forests, may give way, and Christianity, in its beautifying influences, spread itself over the Kandian hills and valleys.

THE BLOOD-STAINED BANNER;

OR, AN ECHOING WORD ON CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.

BELOVED BRETHREN,-It was a source of happiness to me to be present at a recent Missionary meeting, and not then having a fitting opportunity of expressing a few thoughts which occupied my mind in connexion. with it, I take this method of giving utterance to them, in the hope that, by God's blessing, they may animate you to a more earnest attention. to Missionary work, and a more ardent desire to give yourselves, in one way or another, to that most happy work which, begun by Jesus and his apostles, is alike honourable to angels and ennobling to men.

The appeals of Christ's servants at Missionary meetings are very often rendered less operative for good than they would be, through lack of afterthought and prayer on the part of those who hear them. Hence there is

a continual need that our hearts and minds should be stirred up and reminded of those things which we have heard, that so we may hold them fast, and not let them slip. It may therefore be that this afterword may not be without its use in recalling to your memory what you have heard at past Missionary meetings, and in aiding you to bring them into practice, which is indeed the end of all reading, speaking, and hearing. Let it, then (through his blessing who can give it power with you), be to you a friendly echo of the living voices which appealed to you on behalf of Missions to the heathen.

There is a Society called "The Society of Jesus," whose main object is the upholding and extending of the power and supremacy of their order and the Roman Church. They are a most compact and thoroughly organized and disciplined body of men, sworn to the utmost fidelity to their vows and order, and their influence is co-extensive with the world. We do not belong to that body of Jesu-ists, but we do profess to belong to the body of Jesus, to be members of Christ, children of God, inheritors, in expectancy, of his heavenly kingdom. Should we not, then, feel that the vows of our Lord are upon us; that we, too, being lovers and followers of Jesus, should also unite, as one man, for the purpose of diffusing the

savour of his name in every place, for upholding and extending his church, and hastening his coming and kingdom? Let us manifest the same zeal, self-sacrifice, and devotion, all for Jesus, every one in our divinely alloted sphere, which they show for the aggrandisement of their church and order. We have been enrolled into the ranks of the visible church, named after Christ, and signed with his cross, that we should be his good soldiers, and "war a good warfare." Let us, then, expect to hear our Captain's call to occupy the positions which He in his goodness may assign to us, be it high or low, to stand in the forefront of the battle, or to guard some isolated and lonely pass, until He shall call us from the ranks to be captains of his militant host.

Should such divine call come to us-as come it will-let us not neglect or suppress, but cherish and stir up that heavely gift, as a sacred deposit of his love, and diligently and faithfully use your entrusted talent for Him who gave it to our charge, and who will soon ask it at our hands. Let us, by prayer, meditation, and faithful testimony, by lip and life, show that we are not unmindful whose we are, and whom, by every claim of love and friendship, we ought earnestly to serve.

To some this gracious call to consecration to ministerial and Missionary work comes in very early days; and should it come to any of you, be you like the child Samuel, who so willingly responded to the Lord's call, and who, from his childhood, was chosen to be his prophet; and like the child Timotheus, who, early taught the Jewish Scriptures of the Old Testament by his good mother and grandmother, was eventually called to be a bishop in the apostolic church of Christ; above all, like the holy child Jesus, who, at twelve years old, felt the call to be about his Father's business; and be assured, that if you are not disobedient to the heavenly vision, and to the call of Jesus in your souls, He will lead you, step by step, in his own way, which is the way of meek attention, prompt obedience, and patient waiting. He may indeed keep you waiting for the outward call long after He has given you the inward call by his Spirit working within you; but this is not the rejection of your desire, for to you He speaks as to David, "Thou didst well that it was in thine heart." Nor is it a permission to do nothing because the time is not yet come for the fulfilment of all you desire, but rather that you should in patience possess your souls till his full time be come, and that you should meanwhile show the sincerity of your Missionary spirit for more extensive labour, by here and there doing good, as you have opportunity, to all men. Your "cup of cold water" given to the thirsty pilgrim-your words of love and consolation to the weary, the suffering, and the dying-your Christian life, amidst those who dwell around you-will be seen and known of Christ; and when He has prepared other work for you further afield, you will find that the discipline of patient endurance, earnest labour, and hopeful waiting, has really been preparing you for the more efficient fulfilment of the work which Jesus shall be pleased to assign to you. It will then be your joy to find that you have not waited a moment too long; that the graces of humility, self-conquest, and dependence upon His power and wisdom, have been growing in the shade; and that, having been faithful to your blessed Master in the few things of his appointment in a lower place, He has not forgotten to call you up

higher, to be thenceforth occupied more fully and openly in his service. It may be that you are yet destined to occupy the place of some captain in his great army, who, having borne the burden and heat of the day, has at length fallen asleep in Him; and how could you enter upon so weighty a post as this without having been first nurtured and trained by his hand in secret, unobserved of men, as were the ancient prophets and apostles, like Moses in the desert and Paul in Damascus. Therefore, think not that you are forgotten of Him, should your own home and neighbourhood be your first sphere of Mission work for Christ, but rather seek to use this office well: and as the apostle says in reference to deacons, so shall it be of you, you shall "purchase to yourselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith."

Is there, then, any one amongst you who may feel touched in heart by the grace of God, who hears his call to his work and kingdom, and desires to give willing obedience thereto in the present and future? Hold fast that call-that privilege; reverence that heavenly voice; it is the voice of Him who called the brothers of the Galilean lake, and made them fishers of men-of Him

"Who calls us o'er the tumult

Of our life's wild restless sea,
Day by day his sweet voice soundeth,

Saying, Christian follow Me!"

Only seek grace faithfully to follow that call, let it take you when it may, and as it may, as Christ's true Missionary servants have ever done, whether it guided them to India, Africa, New Zealand, Burmah, Greenland, or Abyssinia; or to labour at home in city, town, or country. Follow that call, and it will lead you in paths which you have not known; but they shall be, not only paths of suffering and self-denial, but paths of peace and joy. For some souls at least shall be your crown of rejoicing now; but specially when the harvest-home cometh; and come it will in its appointed season. How glad will you be in that day to have some redeemed souls then eternally safe, bearing the testimony, "Lord, thy grace enabled this thy servant to win me to thee by thy word. All glory be to thee!" If any ask, How shall I in early days show my love for Jesus who thus calls me? I would say, By daily prayer; by obedience, love, and activity at home; and, by a life of meekness, gentleness, and faithfulness, bearing witness to those around you that such call is yours. Learn all you possibly can; embrace every presenting opportunity of following on after your hearts' desire; tell your wish to your mother, father, and minister; and ask your Saviour to open your way in due time; and thus you may indeed wait in hope, for He will give you your work now where you are, your work eventually on earth, and your work for ever in heaven. May He so inspire your heart for his name's sake!

Whilst speaking on this subject I may mention, for your encouragement, the example of two little schoolboys, who, many years ago, lived in H each of whom had lost his father, each of whom had the earnest desire of being a clergyman. When in their twelfth or thirteenth year, and occupied as teachers and learners at H-- school, they found, as they conversed together in their walks, that the same desire was budding in each of their hearts. One evening they went alone, and, after prayer,