In reference to this subject, we find these words in one of Mr. Cockran's journals-" we were often in a strait, sometimes want pressed hard upon us, and brought us very low in body and mind; but the Lord never turned his gracious face from us: He taught us to live by faith, and not by sight, and to trust in his promises when the springs of creature comforts were dried up." Mr. Cockran afterwards adds, "Many families subsisted many weeks on hazelnuts, which they gathered from the trees and top of the snow. Others subsisted by angling; they cut a small hole through the ice, and let down their line and hooks, and waited till kind Providence directed a fish to them. The hardships which some endured are inconceivable. You would suppose that one-half of them would extinguish the lamp of life violently, or make it cease to burn for want of oil."

Such were some of the severe trials of a temporary character our missionaries had to endure in the earlier days of missionary labour in N. W. America. Hardships and trials still are endured in the prosecution of the work, but the Bible and the Plough, Conversion and Civilisation have made rapid progress, so that describing the Indian settlement when his Lordship in 1844 visited the Red River Mission-the Bishop of Montreal graphically writes "After travelling upwards of a month through an inhospitable wilderness, and casually encountering specimens of the heathen savage, we came at once upon the Mission Establishment; and there, on the morning of the Lord's Day, we saw the people gathering already around their Pastor, who was before his door; their children collecting in the same manner with their books in their hands, all decently clothed from head to foot: around were their humble dwellings, with the commencement of farms, and cattle grazing in the meadow; the neat modest parsonage or mission house,

with its garden attached to it, and the simple, but decent church, with the school house as its appendage, forming the leading objects in the picture, and carrying upon the face of them the promise of blessing." On the occasion of the Bishop's visit, no fewer than 846 persons duly instructed, examined, and approved, were confirmed by his Lordship. The Church Missionary Society has at this period seventeen schools in connexion with its N. W. American Mission, containing 718 scholars. The instances already recited of the lads' returning to their distant homes, and exhibiting the benefit of the Gospel, so as to excite urgent desires for instruction on the part of their relatives and friends-afford proof that labour among the young Indians has not been in vain. Many pleasing instances of their tenderness of heart when brought under the influence of the Truth, and of their profit under instruction, may be given. Mr. Jones writes, in reference to his Sunday Evening Catechizings, "In giving out to them the 236th hymn of the Sunday scholars' Companion-'Lord, while the little heathen bend, &c,,' it was natural that I should be led to tell them of the cruelties practised in the East, which are alluded to in that hymn. They were all much affected, and one of them, an Ossiniboia Indian, asked, 'Sir, is no one there to tell them not? I told them that many were gone to tell of Him, as I had done, to come to them; they looked at one another with smiles, which indicated their inward approbation.

Improvidence and ingratitude to parents are very conspicuous in the character of the uncivilised Indian : the following anecdote by Mr. Smithurst proves that, at least in the case of the rising generation, the eradication of these deeply-seated evils, may be looked for by the blessing of God upon the efforts of the Missionary.

"I was much pleased," he writes, "in conversation with one of the Mus

saigo school boys. He had been working on the Mission farm a month, during the seed-time, for which I paid him 12s. Wishing to know how he had spent it, I said, 'What did you do with the money I gave you?' 'I took it to the store.''Well, what did you buy?' "The shirt I have on.'-' Well, that cost 4s.; what more did you purchase?' 'White cotton.'-' What are you going to do with that?' 'Have a Sunday shirt.'-Well, that is very good; but what else did you buy?' 'A pair of shoes. Yes, these three things cost 9s.; what did you do with the rest ?'

Gave it to my father.'' This little incident affords one among the many proofs of success in our Missionary schools. It was the first money the boy ever had, and not a fraction of it was misapplied!

Mr. Cockran thus writes concerning another Indian scholar.-" I visited a youth, who had been blind for six years, and is now under a deep decay. I conversed with him on the concerns of his soul, and found him perfectly resigned, and willing to depart. On being asked how he had employed his mind since he lost his sight, he said—' In going over those things which I learned at school. I have not been able to distinguish day from night; but I have felt such a pleasure in reflecting on the love of God in sending his Son to seek and to save lost sinners, that I have not thought the days and nights long ;"

In the five different stations of this Mission, in each of which a Missionary is located, there are now four Churches; one of them is capable of containing one thousand persons, the Church at the Grand Rapids has recently been rebuilt; it having been found far too small for the congregation. On 30th of December, 1844, a meeting was held to ascertain how to raise the means wherewith to build their new Church; almost all the males from 130 families were present, stretching over a line of at least 11 miles. Silver and gold they had

none;

but in materials and labour, above £700 were promised on that occasion. Speaking of this congregation, Mr. Smithurst testifies-"The Church at the Rapids was quite full; and I never saw a congregation more attentive. It is very pleasing to see these people regularly in Church, whatever may be the state of the weather. Though some have to come five or six miles, neither the drifting snow, nor the keen blast of this frigid climate, keeps them away." And with respect to the eagerness with which the Indians in most of the stations frequent the means of grace, Mr. Cockran observes "I have often expressed my astonishment in England-what! so many at market and so few at Church! Here, however it is quite the opposite. On week-days, you may travel for miles and miles, and not see a single face; but on Lord's Days, when you draw near the Church at the hour of prayer, thetrack is crowded with old and young, and middle aged, pressing forward to the House of God." And God has often graciously visited and blessed his waiting people in their house of prayer.

"At the Indian service (writes Mr. Jones) I dilated on the reception of the Prodigal Son, by the kind and forgiving father. When I came to the expression-Thave sinned,' I told them, after a pause, with great solemnity, to ask themselves if they were in the habit of approaching God with 'I have sinned,' and under the influence of a similar feeling with that of the prodigal.

The impression was greater than I ever witnessed before, and many could hardly refrain from giving vent to their feeling by outcries and tears." We can scarcely be surprised to learn that there are now among these people 530 Communicants at the Sacramental table; and that a deep feeling of their own state of sin and danger, and of the infinite love of God in Christ Jesus should have dictated the pressing entreaty to English Christians, for more Missionries to their Heathen fellow country

men, as conveyed by Mr. Jones. "Tell them to make haste; time is short, and death is snatching away our friends and relations very fast; tell them to make haste."

We would conclude our notice of this interesting Mission, with a special reference to the Cumberland Station. Commenced as it was by a native Catechist, and sustained, as its Branch Station at Lac-la-Rouge now by a second native Catechist, it will serve to shew the expansive character of Missionary labour, the progress of which the Indian character and mind is susceptible, the need of more Missionaries in the field, and the duty of earnest prayer that the Lord of the harvest would send forth the labourers into his harvest.

In the principal Station at Cumberland and its dependent outpost Lac-laRouge, 500 miles farther in the wilderness, the missionary Mr. Hunter has been permitted, during the past year, (1847), to baptize no fewer than 192 Indians, of whom eighty were adults-with the assistance of his native Catechists; the latter have been carefully instructed in the leading truths of Christianity, and appear to be truly desirous of adorning its profession by their conduct: among the number were two leading chiefs, whose influence would have great weight with their tribes and at the close of the year,

there were also 100 candidates for baptism under instruction.

The seasons for approaching the Table of the Lord are highly valued; in many instances, the communicants come two or three hundred miles, for the purpose of being present.

In the Day and Sunday schools there is a total of 117 scholars. The Mission Farm has been enlarged, and the Christian Indians are advancing in civilization. At Lac-la-Rouge all the Indians have embraced Christianity; there is not one Heathen among them. They are almost entirely under the charge of a native Catechist, and we are assured that were an ordained Missionary located among them, the majority, if not the whole of the Indians of a wide adjacent district would speedily embrace the truth as it is in Jesus. Let us conclude with Mr. Hunter's appeal on behalf of his Lac-la-Rouge converts; whom he has only been able to visit, on account of the distance, for three days

"These Indians have listened to the instructions of their Missionary; have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and are trusting in Him alone for the salvation of their souls; they have been baptized in accordance with the commandment of their Saviour; and are now expecting and entreating for a Minister to be sent to them. Shall their expectations be disappointed ? "