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day, as I passed along the corridor, and was speaking to some who were bundling up their kit to go to England, I was drawn, involuntarily, as it were, to speak to one who at the moment I thought was also going home. By an accident in the camp, he had received a pistol-shot in his hand, and, just before I spoke to him, had the main bone of his left hand taken out. He has been in Hospital since the 9th inst, and has just come out of the fever which is so prevalent. I endeavoured to cheer him up, taking care to remind him that life is very uncertain, and that the only source of true peace and comfort is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. With some excitement he said, 'I hope God will spare me to see my wife again. Night and day I think of her, and I literally water my couch with my tears, fretting about it.' And with his left hand leaning upon a pillow, supporting it after the surgical operation, he stretched out his right arm at full length, and, checking his flowing tears, he said, as if with fixed determination, 'I would willingly allow that arm to be chopped off by the shoulder, if I could see her to-night.' I endeavoured to point out to him the folly of speaking in such a manner. He then told me the reason why he fretted so much. He thought it possible that he might die, and he was leaving his wife in poverty, whereas, had he been a sober man, he might have left her comfortably provided for. He has been a non-commissioned officer for ten years. His wife was piously inclined, but he laughed and mocked at her piety, and by his drunken habits nearly broke her heart. When this war was spoken of, he thought it would all end in smoke; but when the trumpet called them to march to the field he found himself deceived. He has seen thousands cut off around him, and has fanned with a newspaper his comrades dying of cholera, without a thought of anything but a burning desire to be led on to battle, and not to lie rotting in camp. The Lord hath now shown him his past sinful life. I did not conceal from him what I thought, and what the Bible says, of his sins. I reminded him that I was of the Church of Scotland, and was expected by the Church of England chaplains to confine myself to my own people. He replied that he thought the difference between us hardly worth mentioning, and that he would just as soon have me. to minister to him as any one else. I then offered prayer shortly, and when I was about to leave him, he grasped me by the hand, and said, repeatedly, 'The Lord bless you.' The Lord reward you.' His gratitude seemed almost unbounded. Thus we see many of the bravest

heroes of our battles weeping like children at the foot of the Cross.

"Went on board two ships now receiving invalids for England. It is truly a happy sight to see the men going home. I spoke to many, begging to rejoice with them. One told me he had learned since this war began to trust only in the Lord, and through the whole campaign he had never forgotten to commit himself to His constant keeping, and that, especially since he had been sick, he had not ceased to advise his comrades to cease to do evil, and to learn to do well."-Edinburgh Christian Magazine.

SEPTEMBER 1855.

LAST month has been one of the most eventful ever known within the memory of any living person. God has declared victory on the side of our Army and their Allies in the dreadful siege of Sebastopol ;-and now events may be looked for, of the greatest importance to the whole world, as the issue of the conflict in which we are engaged.

How deeply solemnising to every thoughtful person is the awful moment of such a victory, as has at last crowned our arms in the Crimea! Every child of God will feel it to be the most solemn call, that ever was given by any public event, to earnest prayer to God, that our rulers may be led to act with the wisdom and courage needed to follow up the success our brave soldiers have gained, so as speedily to secure an honourable and lasting peace.

Let us pray, that an entrance may be opened up for the preaching of the Gospel in Turkey, and Russia, and the East.

Let us earnestly beseech the Lord pitifully to regard the many weeping widows, and helpless, fatherless children, and bereaved parents, whom the sword, in this dreadful war, hath desolated.

And let us pray for grace to cheerfully devise liberal things for the relief of the families of those who have so nobly done their duty to their country, even unto death!

LETTER FROM A CHINESE YOUTH.

THE young Chinese, KIUNG-HAE, who writes to the Rev. William Muirhead,—one of the London Missionary Society's agents-the letter of which the following is a translation, is one of seventeen boarders under Mr. Muirhead's care,— and is training for the sacred office of a preacher to his countrymen:

"I have already, for several years, been receiving my teacher's instructions. From my early youth I have enjoyed many mercies, but especially have been made acquainted with the way of life, the method of redemption from sin, and clearly understand my duty in regard to it. I am aware of the sinfulness of my condition, the vanity of earthly things, the nearness of death, the certainty of retribution, either eternal happiness or eternal misery, one or other of which awaits me. The Lord says there is a day coming when everything shall be dissolved, and I shall be judged in His immediate presence. Reflecting on my own state, it seems that during the brief space of a single day my shortcomings are very many; how innumerable, then, must they have been during my own lifetime of eighteen years in this perishable world! But I have listened to the instructions of my teacher, and know that Jesus is able to save, that God is able to pardon, and that the Holy Ghost is able to influence my heart. I have attentively studied all this, and been led to understand the true doctrine, and sincerely and spiritually to pray to God. For how dare I seek to adorn myself in any mere way of empty show, which is positively sinful in the sight of the Great Ruler on high? Last year, I received the ordinance of baptism, and therefore ought all through life to glorify God, that I may hope to ascend to heaven when I die. I only desire that this doctrine may always dwell in my heart, that the Holy Spirit may ever affect my mind, and that actively and daily I may increase in all that is good. May my thoughts not be mixed up with the corrupt customs of the world, and my feelings and inclinations not fall into the snares of the wicked one. May God grant me His exceeding grace, and aid me by His boundless goodness, that while I live I may reflect glory on His name, seek to spread abroad the saving mercy of our Lord, and enjoy happiness in the world to come!"

VOL. IV. No. XI.

NOVEMBER 1855.

THE LORD JESUS EVERYTHING-THE PRIEST NOTHING. WE give one case of usefulness out of very many which are recorded in the Journal of a London City Missionary :— "1854.-The case of Mrs. a poor needlewoman,

of No. - Street, is one of great interest. She was respectably brought up amongst Papists, her parents being of that faith, and all her friends are still connected with the Church of Rome. I have visited her upwards of four years. From my first acquaintance with her she never offered any objection to what I advanced in her hearing, and her children were sent to our Sunday school. Subse quently she informed me that she was brought up a Roman Catholic. I inquired if she still attended mass. She said she had not for some time, but her friends wished her to do so, and would not assist her unless she did. I read to her various portions of Scripture to shew the errors of Popery, and explained the way of salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. She thanked me, and promised to attend my meeting; but the promise remained unperformed till about two years since, when she came with another poor woman. Her attendance for some time was only occasional, but while there she paid very great attention to the exposition of the Scriptures. Ultimately she became a constant attendant, and is now present at the meeting as regularly as the Sunday evening returns. When I visited her during the severe weather, she made reference to the meeting, and said, "The more I attend it the more I see of the errors of Popery, and I am determined never to follow it any more, let me suffer what privations may; for I have seen since I have attended your meeting that it is Christ alone that can save the sinner. My friends were at me the last time I saw them, tried to persuade me to come back to their church, and promised they would then assist me, so that I should never want; but I told them I could not, for I had been led to see the errors of Popery.' She has two children to support, and few persons in the district have endured greater privations than she has done. Yet she manifests that she would rather endure affliction with the people of God than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. She has very little to say, but from her manner and the love she evinces for the Word of God, I believe that a work of grace is begun in her soul.

"1855.-In my last Annual Report I made reference to a poor needlewoman, as having renounced Popery. She remains steadfast in her Christian profes

sion, and manifests a growth in grace and spiritual understanding, being a light to many around her. In a recent visit, she said, 'When I reflect on the errors of Popery in which I was brought up, I am filled with horror, and feel as if I could fly to others who remain shut up in darkness and superstition-I so long to make them see and feel as I do. Then I feel how wicked I have been, and how badly I have treated you. I used to take the tracts, and promised to come to your meetings, and as soon as you were gone I would put the tracts into the fire and burn them, without reading a line. At last I thought I would go and see what sort of a place your meeting was, as I had promised so many times to attend; and the first time I came you spoke so much about the Lord Jesus, I saw that He must be everything, and the priest nothing. I resolved to come again, and the Lord opened my eyes to see the state I was in. Now I trust alone in the Saviour for salvation, and feel that I cannot love nor serve Him as I ought.' She is very diligent in reading the Scriptures and in her attendance at the meetings, insomuch that during the whole of the past year she has been absent from the meeting but four times, twice on account of her own illness, and twice by reason of one of her children being ill. Several Christian friends have visited her of late, who have spoken to me of the change apparently wrought in her by the operation of the Holy Spirit. A young lady has procured work for her at her father's warehouse, Cheapside, but rather than remove to that neighbourhood to be close to her employment, she prefers walking there and back, so that she may be able to continue to attend the meeting. When speaking to her on the subject of her removing, she wept, and said, 'No, I cannot; I will rather give up the work than leave the place where God blessed my soul, and opened my eyes to see my lost condition."

GOD'S SABBATH.

Ir is sad to find such lax views spreading throughout our land on the subject of the Lord's day. We trust our young readers love the Sabbath, keep it holy to God, and are grieved when they see it profaned.

There is never anything lost by keeping the Sabbath. A pious sailor was ordered by his captain to assist in loading his ship on the Sabbath, which he objected to do, because he wished to keep the Sabbath. "We have no Sabbath here," the captain replied. "Very well," said

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